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bernal
PAGE 60
WINKLAAR’S WHEELS Long known for his guns, Roelly Winklaar proves he’s no slouch when it comes to legs.
AUGUST 2015 DePARTMeNTS 10 ARNOLD’S PAGE 12 EDITOR’S LETTER 14 IT’S ONLY MY OPINION 16 1ST SET 30 LIFT 40 FOOD & SUPPS 128 LOOKING BACK 138 LAST SET 143 BODYBUILDER OF THE MONTH 144 THE SHOT 6
FLEX | AUGUST ’15
FeATUReS 52 BODY POWER PRO
Britain’s only IFBB pro show.
68 BEST OF THE BEST
We dug into the FLEX vault to bring you 50 tips from every Mr. Olympia winner of the past 50 years.
78 QUALITY TIME
Phil Heath put in plenty of it in the gym to build his Olympia-winning chest.
86 BACK TO WORK
Eduardo Correa is training his to win the Olympia 212 Showdown.
96 GOLD’S GYM TURNS 50
Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Mecca.
104 PUERTO RICAN PRINCESS
Superhot Ana Delia opens up and bares all (almost) in this steamy pictorial and revealing interview.
110 NO PAIN, NO GAIN
A programme that builds muscle without punishing your joints.
120 CLASSIC MUSCLE
British men’s physique pro Ryan Terry’s favourite exercises for building chest; training tips from new men’s physique star El Noval and women’s physique sensation Fay Ellis.
PER BERNAL
INSIDE THIS MONTH
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer DaviD Pecker Founder and Chairman Emeritus Joe WeiDer (1920–2013) EDITorIAl
Editor in Chief Managing Editor Creative Team UK Consultant
Shawn Perine Lisa Loverro Matt Dolingo, Sylvana Meneses John Plummer
ADVErTISInG
EVP/Group Publishing Director Int’l Advertising Sales Director Marketing Director Marketing Manager Senior Production Manager Advertising Coordinator To Advertise
Chris Scardino Samantha Lund James Cress Samantha Ditata Tisha Paul Irene Coles Tel: +44 (0) 1423 550 848, e-mail:
[email protected]
US EDITIon
EVP/Group Publishing Director Editor in Chief Executive Editor Managing Editor, Enthusiast Group/Books Art Director Senior Editor West Coast Editor
Chris Scardino Shawn Perine Arnold Schwarzenegger Brian Good Sean Otto Zack Zeigler Dave Ian Lee
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Chairman, President & Chief Executive officer David Pecker Founder & Chairman Emeritus Joe Weider (1920-2013) Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing officer Kevin Hyson Executive Vice President, Consumer Marketing David W. Leckey Executive Vice President, Chief Financial officer, Treasurer Chris Polimeni Executive Vice President, Chief Digital officer Brian Kroski Executive Vice President, Digital Media operations/Chief Information officer David Thompson Senior Vice President, operations Rob M. O’Neill 4 New York Plaza, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10004 USA. Tel: 001 212 339 1900
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We assume no responsibility for returning unsolicited material, including but not limited to photographs, artwork, manuscripts and letters. Every care is taken to assure the accuracy of the information in FLEX, but no responsibility can be accepted for the consequences of actions based on the advice contained herein. Weider Publishing Ltd makes every effort to ensure that the advertising contained in FLEX is derived from respectable sources. It does not, however, assume responsibility for the advertisements, nor any claims and representations made therein, nor the quality or delivery of the products/services themselves.
Editorial articles relating to food supplementation and sports nutrition reproduced in this issue of FLEX are for information purposes only and are not intended to solicit or otherwise promote any commercialised product containing the mentioned supplements. FLEX is distributed on an international basis. To the extent permitted by law, Weider Publications LLC and its affiliates: Weider Publishing Ltd, Weider Publishing Italia Srl and Mediafit SARL, do not accept liability for the effects of reported supplements or products, legal or illegal or any loss, injury or damage caused by their use. It is the responsibility of the individual to abide by the laws and dosage allowances specific to their country of residence. Always consult a doctor before commencing supplementation or changing dosages. Some supplements may not work effectively outside specific dosage ranges and may potentially cause harm if taken in excess. Not all supplements, combinations of supplements, or dose ranges of supplements may be suitable, safe or effective for everybody.
Copyright © (2015) Weider Publications, LLC. Published under license from Weider Publications, LLC. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission. ‘FLEX’ is a trademark of Weider Publications, LLC. and may not be used or reproduced without the permission of Weider Publications, LLC.
The information in FLEX is intended to educate. Do not substitute it for the advice of a qualified health care practitioner.
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ARNOLD’S PAGE Bodybuilding was the first step in Arnold’s master plan.
THE MASTER PLAN
Short-term goalS lead to long-term SucceSS and happineSS
You need to develop a master plan. I didn’t start out in my teens telling myself I was going to star in the Terminator movies. But I did know that I wanted to be a movie star, a businessman, and a political leader. Of course, with my humble background, people thought that was nuts. So I asked myself, “What’s one
ASK ARNOLD 10
FLEX | AUGUST ’15
thing I can do now that I’m good at that can serve those goals?”—no matter how indirectly. The answer seemed even stranger than my goals: bodybuilding. Still, I reasoned that having muscles would give me confidence, get me noticed, and pave the way for me to come to America where I could make it all come true. Once I’d made it in bodybuilding, breaking into movies playing heroic roles became easier. I was also right in thinking that after playing a hero on-screen for so long and building a following, I had the power to help
people on a grand scale in real life, getting elected as governor. This summer, Terminator: Genisys is out, proving that my plan is still working. So remember this: You don’t have to know exactly how you’ll get what you want in life, but you do need to ask yourself what you can do today that can help you take the next step tomorrow and beyond. Yours in iron,
Arnold schwArzenegger
Have a question for Arnold? Ask it on the FLEX Facebook page for a chance to see it here.
ALBERT BUSEK
Aside from hard work and visualization, what does it take to be successful? —frankie f., via facebook
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FROM THE EDITOR
MUSCLE BELLIES
They can make The difference beTween a champion and a runner-up
12
FLEX | august ’15
dieting. But there’s also a genetic component to the shape of his muscles. Some of us, no matter how long or how hard we train, will never display the kind of muscle bellies of a Roelly Winklaar. So when appreciating the physique of Roelly we should also take into account how rare are his genetics. And this is what makes bodybuilding so unique. It’s a combination of hard work, intelligent effort, and having the right parents that makes for a great bodybuilder—a term that most certainly applies to Egberton Rulove Etienne-Winklaar.
More Power To You,
Shawn Perine Editor in Chief
PER BERNAL
Like any other activity, bodybuilding has its own jargon—a language created by insiders. Bodybuilders regularly throw around terms like “super sets,” “feel the burn,” and “pumped up.” Another such phrase is “muscle belly,” which is meant to describe the roundness and fullness of a muscle, particularly on a limb. It’s not a specific, measurable term. Instead, it’s more about the subjective look of a muscle. What’s certain though is that the discerning bodybuilding fan knows a full muscle belly when he sees one, and that of all the IFBB pro bodybuilders competing today, the fullest muscle bellies may be found on the frame of Roelly Winklaar. Take a look at this month’s cover image of Roelly, masterfully shot by our own Per Bernal. Check out those biceps, forearms, quads and calves. Each group has a three-dimensional quality that, even among pro bodybuilders, is unique. And his best body part— triceps—set the gold standard for full muscle bellies. Of course, attaining Roelly’s degree of muscularity comes from years of hard training and regimented
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FLEX COMMENT IT’S ONLY MY OPINION text and photo by CHRIS LUND
UK EDITOR SINCE 1985
HOW TO GAIN WEIGHT
It’s over 50 years since I picked up my first set of barbells and dumbells and I did this for one major reason. I wanted to gain weight. At a height of nearly 6 ft, two, I weighed exactly 11 stones 4 pounds in my stocking feet, and after seeing Steve Reeves play Hercules at the movies, I immediately made the bold decision to find out exactly how he built such an incredible physique. Back in 1962 everyone who trained with weights was called a weight lifter and everybody you spoke to said it was not only a weird physical activity, but it would make you end up muscle bound! Back in those days everyone who started to train with weights was trying desperately to gain weight and I cannot remember meeting one single person who took it up to lose weight. Which of course is really quite ironic, when you consider the fact that almost everyone in the civilised western world is trying to lose it. This article however, is not intended for those people. It’s for the 7 stone weaklings, as Charles Atlas described them in his mail order advertisements. It’s for those really skinny blokes who cannot gain weight no matter what they do. So let’s get started. Gaining weight should be the most enjoyable part of your bodybuilding career. For a start, you do not have to train more than twice a week, and secondly you can eat more or less like a horse. Let’s start with the training part.
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FLEX | August 2015
You should never train more than twice every week, and your workouts should not exceed one hour. However, you simply must be prepared to train harder than you have ever trained in your life, using only the best basic bodybuilding exercises ever invented. This is no time for isolation movements like cable crossovers and concentration curls. No, what we are talking about here are the best of the very best. Squats, bench presses, bent over rows, seated dumbell presses, barbell curls, parallel dips and dead lifts. Heavy movements done for high reps, in perfect style. Here is an excellent gain weight routine that should only be followed on Mondays and Thursdays, or Tuesdays and Fridays, or Wednesdays and Saturdays. Do not be tempted to train more because this will interfere with the recovery ability of your body. Remember your muscles only grow after you have trained them, not when you train them, and you need all the rest you can get. 1. BEATHING SQUATS. One work set of 20 reps. I do not believe that you can gain weight without making breathing squats the number one exercise in your routine. Do two warm - up sets, and then do one working set, of 20 reps with three huge breaths between every single rep. Always make 20 reps, no matter what, and if you start out with a reasonable poundage you should be able to increase the weight by a total of 5
pounds (21/2lbs each side) or even a total of only 21/2 pounds, (11/4lbs each side) every workout. 2. BENCH PRESS. One work set of 15 reps. As soon as your breathing has returned to normal from the squats, do two warm - up sets, of 12 - 15 reps, in perfect form and then prepare yourself for one all out work set, of 15 reps. If you can do more than 15 reps, without cheating then do them, but increase the weight by a total of 21/2 or 5 pounds next workout. A word of warning. You must never, ever do bench presses alone. Always find someone to spot your work set for safety reasons. 3. REVERSE GRIP BENT OVER BARBELL ROW. One work set of 15 reps. Do two warm-up sets, of 15 reps, followed by one work set, of 15 reps, to failure. Again, if you can do more than 15 reps in perfect style, please do them, but increase the weight next time. Do your rows in reverse or curl grip fashion. 4. SEATED DUMBEL PRESS. One work set, of 15 reps. Use the little bench that supports your lower back on this exercise. Do two warm - up sets, of 12 - 15 reps, using a parallel grip. (palms facing each other) Finally, do one work set, of 15 reps, until you cannot do another strict rep in good style. Once again, when you can do more than 15 reps, in perfect style, increase the weight slightly next workout.
HOW TO EAT TO GAIN WEIGHT:
It’s only my opinion, but I truly believe that if you’re drastically under weight, you can eat as much and as often as you want. I’m not talking here about pizzas, hamburgers and chocolate etc, but if you can gain two stones when you only weigh 8- 10 stones, is it possible for you to get fat? I doubt it, especially if you are training to become bigger and stronger at every single workout. GIVE THE FOLLOWING A TRY: MEAL ONE: BREAKFAST Porridge oats or cereal with whole milk. Three whole eggs, scrambled, boiled or poached. Bacon or Ham. Whole Wheat Toast. MEAL TWO: SNACK The best protein or meal replacement drink you can afford. MEAL THREE: LUNCH Chicken Veg or salad, and potatoes MEAL FOUR: SNACK Another good protein shake. MEAL FIVE: DINNER Any kind of steak. Sirloin, stewing steak, fillet steak, as well as fish or pork. Potatoes. boiled, or baked, plus any kind of veg. MEAL SIX Another protein or meal replacement drink.
• • • • • • • • • • •
5. BARBELL CURLS. One work set, of 15 reps. Do one warm - up set, of 15 reps, followed by one set, to failure aiming for 15 reps, in perfect style. When you can do more than 15 reps, please do them, but increase the weight slightly at your next workout, even if it’s only 21/2 pounds in total. 6. PARALLEL DIPS. One work set of 15 to 20 reps. Your upper body should be pretty much warmed up now, so go right into your first work set, aiming for 15 to 20 reps in absolutely perfect training style. Do not be tempted to dip too low, and use slow reps. When you can eventually make
Mike Quinn
20 reps, try adding weight using a dipping harness. Parallel dips are one of the greatest upper body exercises in the book. They train your shoulders, chest and triceps like no other movement. 7. DEAD LIFTS. One work set, of 20 reps. Do two warm - up sets, of 12 - 15 reps, followed by one all out set, of 20 reps. Once again, if you can do more than 20 reps, do them, but increase the weight next time. The dead lift is second only to the breathing squat, for gaining weight but make sure to do them for at least 20 reps, so that you are breathing exceptionally hard at the end of the set.
In the early 1960s there wasn’t many high protein powders available, and if you did happen to track one down it usually tasted absolutely horrible. There were gain weight powders available but they mostly consisted of lots of sugar. We didn’t have access to the amazing supplements that you can buy today My own solution was 5 pints of whole milk a day because that’s what Reg Park did, and he was king of the bodybuilders back in those days. See you next month Keep training CHRIS LUND
expert training advice & exclusive athlete profiles
1
st
Can’t wait for Olympia Weekend 2015? Gnaw on these fun facts and memorable O moments to hold you over.
PAGE 26
set
Ashriel OsgOOd We’ve got the goods on osgood
PAGE 18
Follow Arnold Classic physique champ Sadik Hadzovic’s lead to take your body to the next level. PAGE 20
Big Ramy vs. Big Vic, Victor Richards. Who wins the massmonster throw down? Gustavo Badell’s old-school, high-volume back attack is a ballbuster. PAGE 28 16
flex | august ’15
ISAAC HINDS
PAGE 24
NEVER STOP
ENERGY*
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1ST SET O ZONE
8
IT’S REIGNING
GREAT SCOTT The Golden Boy was the first Mr. Olympia, in 1965. Larry Scott repeated in 1966 and then retired at the age of 27. The Legend is the only Mr. Olympia to finish his career undefeated on the O stage.
EXPLOSION
43,570
Square metres of space planned for the 2015 Olympia Expo ■ The early O Expo incarnations were nowhere near the size it is today. The 2014 Olympia Expo boasted more than 1,100 booths, 221 vendors, and a full roster of events. With more of all the above added each year, expect the 2015 rendition to be a nonstop frenzy of fitness and bodybuilding spread out over 43,570 square metres.
YIKES, YATES! ■ They were impromptu black-and-white photos snapped for newly crowned Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates to gauge his progress for the 1993 O. Same place, same lighting; the only variable was his physique. The pics became public, and the fact that anyone could look like that only weeks out from the show was disheartening, to say the least. Before he even stepped onstage, Yates had effectively won his second Sandow.
■ It started in 1970 when Arnold Schwarzenegger toppled the seemingly invincible Sergio Oliva. For the next five years, he held bodybuilding’s greatest prize. He came out of retirement in 1980 for a seventh title, and many experts were sure his record would stand for decades, if not more. But a mere four years later, 24-year-old Lee Haney began his eight-year winning streak. Then Dorian Yates, the man who finished second to Haney the previous year, held on— despite injuries—for six years. Enter Ronnie Coleman. The man nobody picked to win upset all the favorites. By the time he finished, he had tied Haney’s eight. Current four-time champ Phil Heath’s stated goal is 10. Will he reach the halfway mark this September?
olympia facts
The 2015 Olympia Weekend is fasT apprOaching, sO befOre The madness begins, gO back in Time fOr a brief hisTOry lessOn 18
FLEX | august ’15
DOUGLAS WHITE COURTESY OF WEIDER HEALTH AND FITNESS; CHRIS LUND (2); KEVIN HORTON
The current record for consecutive O wins
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1sT sET PROFILE
by mark barroso
THE WILL TO WIN
2015 Arnold ClAssiC Physique winner sAdik hAdzoviC offers tiPs to elevAte your trAining to the next level
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FLEX | august ’15
HaDZoVIC’s sHoULDEr WorkoUT EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Seated Barbell Press superset with Behind-the-neck Barbell Press
4
10
4
10
Dumbbell Lateral Raise superset with Upright Row
5
10
5
20
Dumbbell Bentover Lateral Raise
3
15
Machine Shrug
4
20
GET MORE For more tips on pushing your limits in the gym, check out our newest video series, Next Level, starring GAT athlete Sadik Hadzovic at FLexonline.com/ nextlevel
PER BERNAL
You can tell by looking at Sadik Hadzovic that he knows his way around a gym. That’s because it’s a job requirement. Well, for his second job, anyway. After Hadzovic finishes his day job as a real estate property manager, he puts in overtime at Bev Francis Powerhouse Gym in order to maintain his status as a top-tier IFBB physique pro. The 2015 Arnold Classic Physique winner has trained at Bev’s for years, absorbing workout knowledge like a sponge. Adding to Hadzovic’s training education were “old-school Dorian Yates workout videos” and his trainer, IFBB great Dennis James, the creator of MTUT (Menace Time Under Tension). “MTUT starts with a 30-second rep followed HADZOVIC’S by three fast STATS reps,” Hadzovic says. “I preserve age 27 my joints by height 5'11" doing fewer weight 190 lbs sets and reps residence while forcing as Westbury, Ny much blood into twitter the muscle as @sadikHadzovic possible.” Hadzovic cites giving “maximum effort every second for 12 weeks” and visualizing himself being awarded the trophy as the keys to his Arnold Classic win. “The first six weeks of my contest prep, I do high reps and the final six weeks is heavy weight, low reps, and low rest periods,” he explains. For cardio, Hadzovic does highintensity interval training for 30–45 minutes six weeks out from a show; that drops to about 15 minutes as the contest nears. Steady-state cardio is reserved for when he’s “lean enough.” When Hadzovic feels a craving for junk food coming on, he resists by drinking 590–890ml of water to feel fuller. “Another method: Write down your goal when you get a craving,” he says. Lastly, Hadzovic suggests allowing the mind to lead the body to victory. “Be goal oriented and envision what your ideal physique is or you’ll never have the mental edge you need.”
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Staying power
the Costello Brothers know the keys to lasting suCCess Mike and Tony Costello made their bones in the supplement industry back in the 1980s. What began as a mom-andpop operation in their father’s garage turned into Costello’s Health Distributors and, eventually, Optimum Nutrition, a multimilliondollar sports supp powerhouse. In 2008, after more than two decades at the helm of ON, the Costellos decided to detach themselves from the company they built from the ground up. “Leaving Optimum Nutrition was a difficult decision that we didn’t take lightly,” Mike explains. “But the opportunity to exit came along… and we were ready to reap the rewards, but it was bittersweet.” Their R&R was to be short-lived. In 2013, Mike and Tony got the itch to put their combined 50-plus years of experience behind a new sports nutrition venture—Nutrivo.
A short time later, Nutrivo acquired Rivalus Sports Nutrition Inc., a supplement line that prides itself on producing safe, clean sports supps for athletes—and hiring third-party organizations to verify this through extensive tests. “Consumers have become very educated and know what they’re looking for, and they’re demanding transparency.” Mike says. Adds Tony, “Nutrivo’s state-of-the-art plant was built to fit all the latest regulations. And while being NSF certified and Informed-Sport come with added costs for us, it shows how high our commitment level is to our consumers.” The Costellos’ ability to elevate the brands they represent—both past and present—can of course be a model for business success anywhere. Additionally, their approach can also translate to helping you succeed in the gym.
1 TakE riSkS It’s hard to believe, but in the ’80s gyms were just gyms. No saunas, juice bars, or masseuse setups—just training equipment and mirrors. “My dad said there was a market for [selling egg protein in the gym], so I bought a couple hundred dollars’ worth of egg protein, put it into a gym bag, and took it to the gym,” Tony explains. “Half my inventory sold out almost immediately. The next time I ordered $600 worth of egg protein and I sold it all.” With training, when you refuse to leave your comfort zone you’ll most certainly miss out on gains. In other words, taking calculated risks can turn into huge rewards.
2 Find ThE righT parTnEr A good training partner knows when to lead and when to follow. Finding that balance can take time and patience but produces a huge payoff when harmony is finally reached. “Tony has his areas [of the business] and I have mine…and we trust and respect decisions that are made,” Mike says. “There has to be a trust factor there—and there has been [between us] from Day 1.”
Achieving and maintaining peak condition takes consistent revisions to your training routine. Coast through your programmes and you’ll plateau. For the Costellos, revisions involved engineering products that would a) help an athlete improve performance, and b) taste good. “Tony met with a flavour company and another company to see if they could inject air molecules into the egg protein, and the next thing you know, our protein becomes the best-selling protein in the business,” Mike says. “So we applied that principle to all the products we sold and asked ourselves, ‘How can we make the products that people are buying better?’ That’s the same mindset we used to build Optimum Nutrition, and the same mindset we’re using to take Nutrivo to the next level.”
“Nutrivo’s state-of-theart plant was built to fit all the latest regulatioNs.” —tony costello 22
FLEX | august ’15
PER BERNAL; COURTESY OF THE COSTELLOS
3 challEngE yourSElF
1ST SET POSEDOWN
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS RICHARDS
ELSSBIAY height
1m75 132kg weight
years as pro
2
height
1m78 123kg weight
years as pro
0
pro contests
pro contests
pro wins
pro wins
4 2
0 0
ELSSBIAY vs. RICHARDS Do you believe in monsters? Photos of Victor Richards generated shock waves in the ’90s. His legs and arms were as gargantuan as any pro’s. And his fame grew with dubious claims about his weight, strength, and appetite. But Big Vic never stepped on a pro stage. We’re going to approximate such a contest now in the ultimate monster mash. Claiming to be 150kg with 66cm arms and a 1m 70 chest (all ludicrous numbers), Richards last competed at the 1992 Nigerian Championships. (He’s American, but his father is Nigerian-born.) But contest photos of him are as scarce as clear shots
24
FLEX | august ’15
of Bigfoot. The best views of him were at 1994’s FIBO, where he famously traded poses with Dorian Yates. Transported to the present, he’d face the same problems against Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay that he did against Yates. Assuming he was in proper contest shape (unlike at FIBO), he’d have enough arm, chest, and leg mass to hang close in some shots. But the ultrawide Elssbiay would make Richards look narrow, as did Yates. That said, two decades ago, if he could’ve refined what he had, Big Vic might have been what Big Ramy is today— a mass monster who scares other pros.
BILL COMSTOCK (2); BILL DOBBINS (2)
The myThical mass monsTer of The ’90s Takes on Today’s scariesT behemoTh
by GREG MERRITT
ELSSBIAY
“I eat eight times per day in the off-season and get 50 to 60 grams of protein per meal.” —elssbiay
strengths
Overall size, quad mass, shoulder width weaknesses
Calves, leg separation best pose
Front lat spread
worst pose
Side triceps
RICHARDS strengths
“I’II consume anywhere from 8,000 to 12,000 calories in a typical day.” —richards
Overall size, quad and arm mass weaknesses
Width, conditioning best pose
Most muscular worst pose
Rear lat spread
1ST SET
HARDBODY CONFIDENTIAL
1
since i’ve added muscle and got curvier i’ve become more comfortable in my own skin.
by PAMELA NULLET photographs by ISAAC HINDS
Oh, SO gOOd IFBB BIkInI pro AshrIel osgood Is A mom, personAl trAIner, And wIFe oF kAnsAs CIty ChIeFs nFl plAyer JAmell FlemIng. here Are 10 more reAsons to Feel good ABout her.
My goal is to make it to the Olympia 2 stage. Whether it takes blood or tears, I will step onto that stage one day. I love leg day to the point where 3 I might have a leg fetish. If I could work on my legs all day I’d be happy. I love sexy legs. A juicy burger and sweet potato 4 fries are the perfect cheat meal. My bikini top split when I 5 was getting ready to go onstage once. I was devastated and embarrassed, but thankfully one of the
SEE MORE
girls offered me her extra suit. I frantically got changed and walked to the lineup, praying it fit. I had no idea what it looked like, but thank God it fit. My dad loved Arnold 6 Schwarzenegger; he’d make spaghetti and we’d watch The Terminator while we ate dinner.
a little too much! I’m like, “Babe, enough of the heavy lifting, I just need to do a little shoulder work!” He can also eat whatever he wants; he’ll order pizza…and I’ll sit there with a container of chicken, totally depressed. I always thought I’d make a 9 good court reporter because I’m fast with my fingers.
I listen to rap and hip-hop when I 7 “The body lift. When I’m doing believes what 10 cardio, I listen to Joel the mind achieves” is Osteen a lot. My husband is motivational and 8 often pushes me in the gym—sometimes
my favourite quote. When I first started competing I realized that so much of what a competitor goes through is mental.
Go to hardbodynews.com
1ST SET RETRO ATHLETE
by GREG MERRITT
GUSTAVO BADELL
FLEX FACT Badell’s leapfrog record is currently safe because only the top 15 of the Mr. Olympias are placed.
The high-volume Training ThaT helped fuel a rockeTlike rise One Mr. Olympia record is likely to stand the test of time— greatest leap in standings. Gustavo Badell jumped 21 places from his first Olympia to his second. The Venezuelan-born Puerto Rican barely made a ripple during his first six professional years. In 17 contests, he made only one posedown. But that qualified him for the 2002 Olympia—where he got punked, 24th out of 25. When he next qualified, he placed a shocking third in the 2004 O. The following year, he repeated that bronze spot. Badell won only three lesser pro shows over his 38-contest, 15-year pro career, but his back-to-back Olympia thirds in 2004–05 mark bodybuilding’s most improbable upsurge. Just as Badell skyrocketed from oblivion to Olympia contender, his workouts were similarly unique for the distance traveled. For example, his back routine featured 32 working sets. Even going at a brisk pace, it took two hours to complete. He didn’t always use such marathon sessions. He increased his workload precontest, and he frequently alternated a high-set workout with a moderate-set one. But Badell does attribute this cranking up the volume for some of his stupendous midcareer success.
EXERCISE
BADELL ON BACK TRAINING “My first four sets of pullups are only for a warmup and stretch. Then I come back and do them with a weight to build muscle.”
28
“The T bar places more of a pull on your lower back, so you can’t be as explosive as you can with barbell rows.”
FLEX | august ’15
“This routine is so intense and so high volume that by the time I get to deadlifts, I only need to use 315. Of course, I’m getting 12 to 15 reps, too.”
“I go high volume about half the time. The rest of the time, I do about half as many sets.”
SETS
REPS
Pullup (warmup)
4
8–12
Behind-the-neck Pulldown
4
12–15
Weighted Pullup
4
12–15
Barbell Row
4
10–12
T-bar Row
4
12–15
Hammer-strength Machine Row
4
12–15
Low-pulley Row
4
12–15
Deadlift
4
12–15
Back Extension
4
12–15
CHRIS LUND
BADELL’S BACK ROUTINE
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TRAINING TIPS TO POWER UP YOUR WORKOUTS
PAGE 32
Badass BaCK
Is your chest lagging? Pump it up with Flex Lewis’ angled pec attack.
Write more here about The Freak’s cheat meal tips.
How often should you train for maximum gains?
Why you should sit—or even lie down—between sets. (Hint: more growth.)
Stubborn calves? Try this three-pronged approach to boost growth.
PAGE 33
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PAGE 36
PAGE 38
PAGE 39
PAVEL YTHJALL
MR. O’S BAcK-BUIldING SEcRETS
www.USPlabsDirect.com
LIFT ASK THE CHAMP
by PHIL HEATH, four-time reigning mr. olympia
ASK PHIL
Got a question? Go to FLEXonline .com/askexperts.
HEATH SPEAKS!
Mr. O talks training with Fighter & The Kid
■ In midMarch, Mr. O joined Fighter & The Kid podcast hosts Bryan Callen and Brendan Schaub for a conversation filled with expressions of mutual admiration. Heath elicited some respectful comments from the host
BACK IT UP Focus on Form to build a big back what kind of back routine were you doing before you won your first sandow? I focused on range of motion and on holding the weight at its contraction point. My reps were a little bit slower, taking momentum out of the equation—which was a huge part of my development leading up to the 2011 Olympia. On the rowing exercises, for example, I was really just trying to get a solid contraction and a good stretch at the top. I had to learn to focus on form instead of pure strength.
32
FLEX | auguST ’15
HEATH’S BACK ROUTINE EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Pullup
4
8–12
seated cable row
4
8–10
barbell row
4
8–10
one-arm dumbbell row
4
8–10
rack deadlift
4
8–10
for the poundages he could heft and then traded awefilled gym stories about UFC heavyweight Todd Duffee. Schaub, a UFC heavyweight (and no stranger to hard training), couldn’t get over the discipline that top bodybuilders like Heath maintain yearround. Check out the conversation on YouTube.
PAVEL YTHJALL
“I want to break the record wIth nIne Mr. olyMpIas. but you know what? nIne sounds cool, but 10 sounds awesoMe.” —phil heath
by Flex lewis, three-time Olympia 212 ShOwdOwn winner
ASK THE CHAMP
UPPER PEC BLAST The benefiTs will be felT all around What do you suggest to bring up the lower chest? If you talked to Neil [Hill, Lewis’ trainer], he would tell you he’s never seen an upper chest that truly overpowered the lower chest. As a result, his strategy has always been to focus workouts on the upper chest—knowing that when it’s done correctly, the chest is going to be sore everywhere, upper and lower. Before I started working with Neil, my chest training wasn’t as consistent. One session would be good, and the next not so good. Working with Neil helped me establish a stronger mind-muscle
lewis’ CHesT ROUTiNe EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Cable Flye
2 (warmup)
15–20
Incline Dumbbell Press
4
10–15
Hammer Strength Incline Press
4
8–15
Pec Deck
3
12–20
Dip (legs back)
2
30–50 (to failure)
connection with my chest, and I started getting strong contractions where I could actually feel my chest working. What I’ve learned is that the weight is irrelevant—attention to detail makes all the difference. Little things, like not locking out at the top of presses—instead I stop about three inches above
my chest, which helps me keep my delts and triceps out of it—had a big effect. Squeezing is important if you want to feel the results through your chest.
ASK FLEX
Got a question? Go to FLEXonline.com/askexperts.
PROJECT FLEX
PAVEL YTHJALL
The ultimate summer camp for bodybuilders
■ Forget the kids and send yourself to camp this summer. The Project Flex experience, sponsored by BSN, is a two-day camp session offering nutrition and training, with seminars and one-onone instruction, access to the Flextraordinary store, and special guests. For dates and more information, visit flexlewis.net/ project-flex/.
LIFT ASK THE CHAMP
by AnTh BAILes, IFBB Pro and 2012 BrItIsh ChamPIon
the freak How often do you have cheat meals?
In the off-season I usually have cheat meals twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The first one on Wednesday breaks the week up and the second one on Saturday enables me to eat out with friends or my wife. I recommend having cheat meals later in the day otherwise you can acquire a taste for junk and want more. Also, cheat meals are usually high in fat, which can slow digestion and make it harder to get your later meals in. A cheat meal for me would be something like rib eye steak and chips, maybe followed by ice cream. I still like to get a decent amount of protein and because I am diabetic I can’t go too crazy with sweets or chocolate etc. During pre-contest I swap cheat meals for high carb days. I start my pre-contest diet about 20 weeks out and won’t have my first high carb day until four or five weeks later. Once my body fat decreases and my calories reduce and cardio increases, I start having a high carb day every two weeks. During the final stages of my diet, when my calorie intake is at its lowest and I’m doing lots of cardio, I usually have high carb days every week. I diet on low carbs so the high carb days replenish muscle glycogen and boost fat-burning hormones, such as leptin. High carbs days also give you a mental boost during the tough stages of the diet. I tend to schedule them for my day off the gym so I can just relax, enjoy the extra food and ready myself for the next stretch of low carbs.
FREAK TWEETS
Nobody ever won a race by cruising in 2nd gear! Crank it into top gear #100percentornothing
34
FLEX | august ’15
Anth winning the British title in 2012.
Matt Marsh
Free weights will always be king in my book but I do like some machine and cable work
.com/Cellucor
.com/Cellucor
@Cellucor
LIFT LAB TO GYM
ONCE, TWICE, THREE TIMES?
by bryan haycock, M.sc.
HOW MANY TIMES PER WEEK SHOULD YOU TRAIN?
HYpOTHesis
Research shows that training three to four times a week may be the most effective frequency to make gains.
ReseARcH In a University of Rio de Janeiro study, subjects were divided into three groups to train with a different weekly frequency: twice per week (Tues., Thurs.); three times per week (Mon., Wed., Fri.); or four times per week (Tues., Wed., Thurs., Fri.). Each group used the same full-body routine each workout. Strength improvements for bench press, lat pulldown, and leg press were measured at four and eight months.
FindinGs Strength improvements were not significantly different among groups. However, the group training four times weekly did show a greater percentage change from baseline.
cOncLusiOn Although some studies have shown that training should be performed three, four, or even five times per week, this study suggests that over time, the differences in strength gains between low- and high-frequency training get smaller and smaller. This study also shows that training a muscle group two days in a row might, in some cases, produce the greatest gains.
■ You shouldn’t worry if you have time to train only twice a week. You can still make good gains over time if you are consistent. A full-body workout may be your best option if you’re training only twice weekly because it will ensure that all muscle groups get adequate attention. 36
FLEX | august ’15
Consistency is the key to maintaining gains—even if you train only twice per week.
PAVEL YTHJALL
AppLicATiOn
GROW YOUR
LEGACY IRON WHEY
™ ULTRA-MICROFILTERED WHEY PROTEIN 22 GRAMS, HIGH QUALITY, FAST DIGESTING • SUPPORTS MUSCLE RECOVERY & GROWTH • GREAT TASTING, HIGH PROTEIN FORMULA • MIXES EASY, GLUTEN FREE
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TESTED
LIFT ON TRIAL
by BRyAN HAyCOCk, M.SC.
Stand down Taking a loaD off beTween seTs can imProve Performance
Defence Between sets, it’s important to rest by sitting or lying down to regain your strength and mental drive.
Prosecution Sitting or lying down can inhibit motivation to continue your training session.
38
EVIDENCE Subjects who sat or lay down 1perform between sets were able to more work compared with subjects who stood or kept moving. sitting after exhausting 2 Not sets can prolong the sense
of fatigue.
Active rest between sets 3 may not allow complete myoglo-
bin reoxygenation and/or phosphocreatine resynthesis. allows for faster 4 Sitting recovery of heart rate
than standing.
FLEX | august ’15
VERDICT When possible, sit betWeen sets Research shows more complete physiological recovery between sets when sitting or lying supine compared with active rest or staying on your feet. This greater recovery increases work capacity on subsequent sets.
SENTENCING ■ You’ll perform better if you sit or lie down and truly relax between sets. Greater recovery and higher work capacity mean a greater chance of topping your personal bests on each exercise. Keep track of how long you rest with a stopwatch or a smartphone and monitor the time between sets so that you can both maximize your recovery and keep up the tempo of your workout.
PER BERNAL
OPENING ARGUMENTS
CROSSHAIRS
by bryan haycock M.Sc.
TRIPLE THREAT
THE CURE FOR STUBBORN CALVES Calf develop ment seems to be more dependent on genetics than any other muscle group. Even top body builders can struggle to build their calves. There are, however, effective strategies for maximizing your calves’ genetic potential. The gastrocnemius has two heads: the medial (or inner) head and the lateral (or outer) head. Re search has shown that you can shift the emphasis on either head by rotating your foot position in or out when doing standing calf raises. Inward rotation preferentially activates the inner head. Rotating the feet outward pref erentially activates the outer head. For full calf development, use all three foot positions either in the same workout or alternate each time you train calves.
“TUrn For ThE bETTEr” caLF WorkoUT
PAVEL YTHJALL
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Standing Calf Raise (toes in)
3
12–15
Standing Calf Raise (toes out)
3
12–15
Standing Calf Raise (toes straight)
3
12–15
CALL or CLICK to subscribe Call: 01795 592801 QUOTE CODE M03 Open weekdays 8am-9.30pm, Saturday 8am-4pm Click: weider.subscribeonline.co.uk/musc/M03 *This is a direct debit ofer open to UK residents only. This ofer is not available to Digital Edition subscribers. Payments will increase to £16.99 every 6 issues unless advised to stop
NUTRITION TIPS TO FUEL TRAINING AND GROWTH
&
PAGE 46
BEEF IT, BABY!
Belly-up to the bar for the bodybuilder’s guide to booze. Last call, er, set.
Cumin is the only ingredient you need to instantly turn a dinner into an exotic cuisine.
Why going coconuts and having that slice of pie with ice cream can be good things.
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ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
GOOD EATING THAT’S ALSO GOOD FOR yOU
fOOD & sUPPs FOOD FIGHT
Wine vs. Hard Liquor
Which booze is acceptable for bodybuilding?
by steven stiefel
One of the misconceptions about why alcohol is bad for a bodybuilder’s diet is that it’s high in carbs. Truth is, many forms of booze are quite low in carbs. Some red and white wines have less than four grams of carbs per serving (148ml). And vodka and whisky are examples of hard alcohol with less than one gram of carbs per jigger (44ml). Even light beers contain few carbs. What booze is high in is—you guessed it—alcohol. It’s an infrequently mentioned fact that alcohol is actually a fourth macronutrient. Each gram of alcohol contains seven calories, and that’s where you find the preponderance of calories in wine and firewater. Of course, mixed drinks gain calories and carbs from what’s added to hard alcohol. The issue with the calories in alcohol is that they are metabolized very quickly. You probably recognize that from experience if you’ve ever had a stiff drink on an empty stomach. These calories are then readily converted to stored fat when you don’t burn them for energy—which you’re not likely to do if you’re planted on a bar stool throwing back a few. The questions for bodybuilders, then, are: What amount of alcohol is acceptable, and what type is best? Here’s a quick overview of the numbers:
RED WINE
VODKA
serving size (ml)
148 122
serving size (ml)
calories
calories
alcohol content (g)
16
alcohol content (g)
WHITE WINE
14
WHISKY
serving size (ml)
148 121
serving size (ml)
calories
calories
alcohol content (g)
15
alcohol content (g)
15
44 97
44 105
GO WitH ReD Wine
ALAMY.COM
■ FLEX recommends getting in the healthful nutrients that red wine contains compared with the minimal trade-off in calories and carbs for a neat vodka or whisky, which have few nutritional benefits. Keep in mind that one alcoholic drink per day of any type may provide health benefits compared with abstinence, and that three to five cocktails in an hour can make you feel as strong as Mr. O while almost certainly trashing your diet.
42
FLEX | august ’15
FOOD & SUPPS DUDE FOOD
Just Add Cumin
Cumin-Roasted salmon and sweet Potato seRVes 1
by Nikki DONNelly
Cumin is a spice with a nutty and peppery taste and the only ingredient you really need to instantly turn another salmon dinner into more exotic cuisine. Add a side of sweet potato (and, if you like, steamed spinach), and you get high protein, healthy fats, and clean carbs in a meal that’s ready in minutes.
iNGReDieNTS
1 tbsp salted butter 225 g salmon ½ tsp cumin ¼ tsp salt ¼ tsp black pepper 1 medium sweet potato, cubed
DiReCTiONS
Preheat oven to 218˚C. Grease a 1baking dish with butter and season fish with cumin, salt, and pepper. Place fish (skinside down) and 2 sweet potato in the dish and bake for 20 minutes. Plate and serve.
calories
510 47g protein
fat
26g carbs
Cumin can raise your body temperature, kick-starting your metabolism and encouraging more fat loss.
44
FLEX | AUGUST ’15
CLAIRE BENOIST; FOOD STYLING BY CHRIS LANIER
24g
TRY THIS FOOD & SUPPS
by Steven StieFel
GO COCONUTS Oil, that is, fOr a dOse Of healthy fats
Coconut oil contains mediumchain triglycerides, a saturated fat that gets converted to energy.
BRIAN KLUTCH
POST-WORKOUT DESSERT?
Coconut oil has gained popularity with athletes, including bodybuilders, over the past few years. This goes against the conventional wisdom from many years ago that argued you should avoid coconut oil because it was high in saturated fats. While the conclusion is wrong, the fact upon which it’s based is true: Coconut oil is high in saturated fats. And that’s exactly why you should consume it. In fact, coconut oil derives about 90% of its calories from saturated fats. Now the preponderance of recent research and medical opinions recognizes that saturated fats do not cause the damage of heart disease ascribed to them for decades. In fact, saturated fats are a healthy source of energy, and they provide the raw materials you need to support hormone production. Coconut oil provides benefits compared with many other wholefood sources of saturated fats because it contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). This type of saturated fat is readily used as an energy source. MCTs go straight to your liver where they are converted to energy (including ketones) that you can then use to support intense training. That’s particularly beneficial for athletes on a low-carb plan who want to perform at their peak. Coconut oil is also a great cooking choice because it has a high-smoke point, meaning it’s better for cooking at higher temperatures. It straddles the line between being a solid and a liquid at room temperature, differentiating it from other oils that are liquid at room temperature and those that remain solid.
Treat yourself with fat-free sweets to boost recovery
There’s no time of day when you better deserve—or need—a treat than after a workout. The good news is that many sweets can be a part of your post-workout regimen. The key is to consume sugary treats that are very low in fibre and fats at this time of day. Good examples include jelly on white bread, and, particularly, meringue. Meringue is made from table sugar and egg whites, and it’s one of the best whole foods for providing you with what you need post-workout to support muscle gains: fast-digesting sugars and protein. You should add a source of protein to these treats, consuming both right after you finish training. Remember, the goal is to get in fast-digesting protein with sugar to drive nutrients to muscle tissue as quickly as possible to jump-start recovery and maximize growth. Target an equal amount of protein and sugar after workouts, generally 30–50 grams of each.
BEEF IS BAD No, it isN’t. iN fact, it’s the ideal muscle-buildiNg food.
Beef was one of the sacred cows of the American diet in the ’40s and ’50s. Then it became a vilified food because many beef eaters died of heart disease—never mind the cigarettes, lack of exercise, and Beefeaters gin they were guzzling. Today, though, in Britain as well as the U.S., we have a clear understanding of this meat’s role in a bodybuilding diet: It’s beneficial for supporting muscle gains and provides satiety, so you don’t feel the need to consume excess carbs. Red meat is high in dietary fats and protein. For a time, science concluded (incorrectly) that heart disease was caused by consuming saturated fats. But that has been debunked. Not only are these fats not harmful, they provide the raw materials for hormones such as testosterone that support building muscle mass. In addition, a 280g serving of beef contains about 60 grams of protein, depending on the cut. Of course, one of the advantages of consuming red meat is that the aminos are released for a long period, slowed by the complex proteins and, particularly, the fats contained in beef. That makes red meat a great food to consume later in the day when you want a sustained release of amino acids to prevent muscle breakdown while you sleep.
46
FLEX | AuguST ’15
by steven stiefel
WORtH its WeiGHt
Improve endurance and athletic performance with…SALT!
■ A little salt helps the
workout go down—or at least sodium helps it go on for as long as you need. A 2015 study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports concluded that sports beverages alone weren’t enough to support intense endurance training. But those who consumed additional sodium (for example, table salt) as well as more electrolytes performed significantly better in a half-Ironman despite reporting the same levels of perceived exertion. That means the group consuming salt and other electrolytes outperformed the placebo group. The takeaway is that consuming electrolytes before training may also help extend anaerobic endurance during your longest and most challenging workouts. Keep in mind that FLEX recommends keeping your daily sodium intake at least at a moderate level (2,000 to 3,000mg per day) when you’re not in the last stages of dieting. This will help your muscles perform more effectively and allow you to drop water more dramatically when you cut sodium intake. Experiment with bumping sodium and other electrolytes about 30 minutes before workouts. Continue to consume sports beverages that contain significant amounts of sodium, and add protein products higher in sodium and other electrolytes to boost endurance. Foods such as chicken with rice soup, consumed 30 to 60 minutes before workouts, are a great addition.
GETTYIMAGES.COM
fOOD & sUPPs MYTHBUSTERS
FOOD & SUPPS
SUPPLEMENT REVIEW
UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
TAKING A PURELY SCIENTIFIC LOOK AT THE BEST PRODUCTS IN THE WORLD OF SPORTS SUPPLEMENTS ALLMAX NUTRITION - ISOFLEX Consumers have many choices today with respect to protein. They can eat real meat, combine certain vegetables with complimentary amino acids, or they can eat dairy sources (milk, eggs, etc). When it comes to protein powders, there are also many choices. Animal derived proteins (whey, casein, egg, goat, beef, fish), vegetable derived proteins (rice, hemp, soy, pea) and even hydrolysates (pre-digested peptides of whey and casein) are available. While there may not be a best choice for all people under all conditions, the most popular powder protein in the world by far is currently whey protein isolate (WPI). And for good reason. Whey protein is the water-soluble portion of milk. Unlike whole milk, WPI has no lactose, cholesterol or fat, and this is the reason it is preferred by many consumers who are lactose intolerant and/or have problems with digesting protein powders. WPI is typically very high in protein content (i.e. usually 90% or greater) in comparison to other forms of protein that can range from only 10-50%. WPI is high in L-cysteine, all nine essential amino acids (histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine), and all three branched chain amino acids (BCAA = leucine, isoleucine and valine). L-cysteine helps regulate blood sugar, decreases blood vessel inflammation and reduces exercise-induced oxidative stress. The BCAAs are useful for helping reduce muscle
48
FLEX | august ’15
soreness and speeding muscle recovery from intense training. Leucine is probably the most important amino acid of all as it can increase muscle protein synthesis all by itself. This “leucine trigger” has been well documented and requires a dose of at least 2.5 grams per food or drink serving to stimulate muscle protein synthesis. In other words, make sure your protein powder (WPI or otherwise) has a minimum of 2.5 grams of leucine in it. When WPI is cold micro-filtered, it retains very important fractions from milk that other proteins sometimes leave out. These native fractions (e.g., alpha-lactalbumin, beta-lactoglobulin, lactoferrin, various immunoglobulins, glycomacropeptide, etc) have immune-enhancing properties and help regulate over 200 different genes within our body.
WPI is considered a “fast” protein because it is absorbed and digested very quickly and causes sharp increases blood levels of amino acids that lasts for about 60-90 minutes. This is particularly useful for breakfast, and during the post-workout period, where a rapid delivery of amino acids to muscle can quickly reverse the catabolic effects of resistance exercise (in other words, WPI is a very effective stimulator of muscle recovery after training). WPI is also quite versatile in that its digestion and absorption can be slowed down by co-consuming it with heart healthy fats and/or foods high in fiber, or even simply mixing it with cow’s milk (which contains 80% casein by weight – a “slow” protein). For example, a muscle-building betweenmeal snack might consist of WPI blended with a tablespoon of natural peanut butter and a handful of mixed berries. Or a scoop of WPI mixed into milk. In addition to being an effective muscle builder, there are other good reasons to use whey protein. These include improved satiety (feeling of fullness), regulation of blood pressure, increased highdensity lipoprotein (HDL-cholesterol), and lowering of triglycerides. These effects can be variable however, and depend on the individual’s background health status as well as their overall dietary and physical activity habits. A few recent studies have demonstrated that in younger subjects, 20-25 grams of WPI is a high enough dose to maximize muscle
by Tim N. ZiegeNFUSS, PhD, CSCS, FiSSN
protein synthesis. In older subjects however, 30-40 grams seems to be necessary for the same effects in muscle. This is because as we age, muscles generally lose their responsiveness to anabolic stimuli.
gram per gram, WpI Is one of the hIghest qualIty muscle
bUILdINg PROTEINS ON ThE MARkET TOdAy.
This is part of the reason it is so important to continue performing some kind of resistance exercise throughout life. Gram per gram, WPI is one of the highest quality muscle building proteins on the market today. Although there may be times to use other proteins, or even a blend of proteins, cold-processed WPI is currently the “king” of single source proteins. ARGININE is a conditionally essential amino acid found in meat, seafood, nuts and soy. Due to its role in nitric oxide (NO) production and as a potential growth hormone secretagogue, arginine has enjoyed a rich history in sports nutrition. In one study, subjects given 6 g of arginine (along with other vitamins and amino acids) improved their time to exhaustion by 20% compared to the placebo group. Other studies have reported lower levels of ammonia and lactate when various forms of arginine are consumed prior to exercise. Despite these acute benefits, the effects of long term arginine supplementation on muscle growth and the acquisition of strength are quite variable. However, since arginine can be converted to creatine, citrulline, and agmatine (a signaling molecule
that enhances blood flow), it is considered to be a very versatile amino acid. ALPHA LIPOIC ACID is a vitaminlike fatty acid that is known as the “universal antioxidant”. This name stems from the fact that alpha lipoic acid is both fat and water soluble, and can therefore combat oxidative stressors found inside the watery interior of the cell as well as outside the fatty acid (phospholipid bilayer) cell
membrane. Other important roles played by alpha lipoic acid are metal chelation (ie. binds to and helps eliminate copper, lead, zinc, mercury, iron) glucose control/ insulin signaling, and as an antiinflammatory aid. There is also some evidence that alpha lipoic acid reduces appetite, improves blood vessel function, and increases calorie burning. This “universal antioxidant” has a plethora of benefits on overall health and wellness.
BATTLE OF
KOREA, SLOVAKIA AND AMERICA PROVIDED THE CHAMP
Champions Kim Jun Ho, Adela Ondrejovicova and Harold Kelley
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FLEX | AUGUST ’15
F BRITAIN
PIONS AT THE 2015 BODYPOWER PRO BY JOHN PLuMMER BirmingHAm mAy Be KnOwn as England’s second city but it is definitely number one when it comes to bodybuilding. Dorian Yates put the city on the map in the 1990s when he won six Mr Olympias from his Temple Gym lair in the city centre. Fellow Brummie Ernie Taylor then succeeded Yates as Britain’s best pro in the first decade of this century. Now Birmingham hosts the country’s biggest muscle expo, BodyPower, which has achieved a rate of growth even Yates would be proud of. From modest beginnings in 2009 it now attracts almost 80,000 visitors from Britain and beyond. The 2015 expo featured A-listers Phil Heath, Kai Greene, Flex Lewis, Branch Warren, Ronnie Coleman and Yates but for many hardcore fans the weekend highlight was the BodyPower Pro – the uK’s only IFBB pro show of the year. The contest gives British bodybuilders the chance to qualify for the Olympia on a home stage and battle for $26,000 of total prize money. It also gives British fans the chance to see some of the world’s finest physiques in the flesh. The 2015 showdown followed the successful 2014 format by having categories for 212, figure and wheelchair bodybuilding. The total number of competitors across the three divisions was down from 31 in 2014 to 21, which reflects the trend away from pro bodybuilding in favour of the amateur side. The uKBFF contest that took place over the same weekend at the NEC attracted a record 271 competitors. But fans that bought tickets to see the pros witnessed a fantastic night’s entertainment at an event that does so much to promote pro bodybuilding in this country. The pre-contest banter was mainly about whether hometown favourites Shaun JosephTavernier and Louise Rogers could book their spots at next month’s Olympia weekend in Las Vegas. Joseph-Tavernier and Rogers finished second and third in their respective divisions in 2014 and had trained hard to step up. PhotograPhy by ChristoPher bailey
BATTLE OF
BRITAIN
KIM CONQ nOt mAny peOple in BirmingHAm had
heard of Kim Jun Ho at the start of BodyPower. By the end, everybody was talking about him. Korea’s only professional bodybuilder wasn’t an obvious contender for the 212 title, although eagle-eyed fans had noticed his second place finish at the previous week’s New York Pro. At 46, he should have been too old. At 181 lbs, he should have been too light. But Kim made a mockery of the rulebook by presenting the kind of physique that wouldn’t have looked out of place in the 1980s, when he first competed. His classical lines and posing had many hometown fans admitting he deserved to beat Shaun Joseph-tavernier, who remains the only Englishman to have won
a
b
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FLEX | AUGUST ’15
QUERS C
A Kim shows his small waist and classical lines B Bulgarian Dobromir Delev C Britain’s Shaun Joseph-tavernier D the impressive size of Khalid Almohsinawi
d
212 results 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Kim Jun ho / Korea / $8,000 shaun JosePh-tavernier / uK $5,500 Khalid almohsinawi / Kuwait / $3,500 dobromir delev / Bulgaria / $1,500 voJteCh KoritensKy / Czech Republic / $1,000 thomas benagli / Italy / $500 manuel manChago / Spain PatriCK ostolani / France FLEXonline.com
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a pro bodybuilding contest this century. Kim, who pocketed $8,000, won over the crowd with his humble, likeable attitude and for showing there is still a place in the IFBB pro league for a Frank Zane-like physique that is all about symmetry and shape rather than size. “It’s the most exciting moment of my life,” he told the crowd. Kim weighed less than the average British man but created the illusion of being much bigger. From the immense thighs to the perfectly peaked biceps and tight waist, he was a thoroughbred champion. Nevertheless JosephTavernier might feel this was one that got away. He was 30 lbs heavier than his rival and it showed, particularly on finals night when he dominated the Korean in some poses with his much more muscular body. But Joseph-Tavernier, not a fan of the two-day format, was flat at pre-judging and the damage had been done. Second, however, is a far from disappointing result and he underlined his status as Britain’s best bodybuilder after Flex Lewis. Third place Khalid Almohsinawi is a freak of nature in that he appeared 20 lbs heavier than everybody else in the line-up. He couldn’t match the top two’s tight waists and pleasing lines but his size made him a formidable opponent. It was a shame not to see more Brits take up the opportunity to compete, particularly as it has plenty of 212 pros. If pro bodybuilding is to survive in this country, it needs support. 56
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a
A thomas Benagli (left) and Kim Jun Ho have fun B Vojtech Koritensky of the Czech republic C italy’s thomas Benagli
C
b
BATTLE OF
BRITAIN
SLOVAKIAN SURPRISE
nO BritiSH wOmAn has ever won a pro figure contest since the division started 12 years ago. With the host nation accounting for three of the 10 competitors, there were hopes that this might be about to change. louise rogers, Britain’s premier figure athlete of recent years was the one deemed most likely. She had finished third here last year and had been training and dieting with a laser focus on peaking for this event since the start of the year. Rogers is never found wanting on condition; her structure is good too. She’d brought up her glutes, one of her few weaknesses, and had every reason to feel confident so another third place was a tough pill to swallow, particularly as
A the winner shows her beautiful shape B rookie pro Vivien Olah finished second
a
b
FIGure results 1 adela ondreJoviCova Slovakia / $3,000 2 vivien olah / Hungary $2,000 3 louise rogers / uK / $1,000 4 maria garCia / Spain 5 agnese russo / Italy 6 leah dolan / uSA 7 maria sCotland / uK 8 tamen stuve / Canada 9 Kizzy vaines / uK 10 giadi simari / Italy
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she appeared to be closest to the look Zsuzsanna Toldi presented to win at the same event 12 months earlier. Two-time amateur world champion Adela Ondrejovicova took top spot to book her ticket to the Olympia. Ondrejovicova wasn’t as lean as Rogers but she has wonderful genetics and it will be interesting to see whether she can crack America. Hungarian Vivien Olah, who won the amateur bodyfitness competition at BodyPower last year, claimed second in the pro show this year. Like Ondrejovicova, Olah was at the front of the queue when genetics were handed out but probably needs a little more size and conditioning to hang with the top Americans. Rookie British pro maria Scotland, the bodybuilding barrister, finished an impressive seventh in her second pro show. Kizzy Vaines, who usually competes in fitness, was ninth.
b
a C
A A louise rogers’ well conditioned back and shapely lower body. B Kizzy Vaines does her quarter-turns. C maria Scotland is improving all the time.
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BATTLE OF
WONDERS ON WHEELS
BRITAIN
b
a tHe BiggeSt CHeer Of tHe nigHt was reserved
for the three athletes in the wheelchair category. American Harold Kelley successfully defended the title he won last year with an even more commanding victory. For shape, fullness and muscularity he was the clear winner. “Don’t focus on what we can’t do; focus on what we can,” was Kelley’s message to the audience. Italian runner-up gabriele Andriulli was in good condition. Wheelchair bodybuilding pioneer nick Scott wasn’t at his best although he gave a typically entertaining routine in his tricked-out wheelchair. Britain wasn’t represented in the contest but amputee mark Smith, who served in places such as Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq and lost his leg when he was shot several times in 2011, gave a guest spot that brought the house down.
A (from left) Kelley, Andriulli and Scott. B Britain’s mark Smith doing a guest routine.
WHeelCHAIr results 1 harold Kelley / uSA / $3,000 2 gabriele andriulli / Italy / $2,000 3 niCK sCott / uSA / $1,000
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FLEX | august ’15
by Joe Wuebben
photographs by PeR beRnAL
WINKLAAR’S
WHEELS Build Bigger legs with iFBB pro roelly winklaar’s meat-and-potatoes routine
What’s the first thing that pops out at you when you see Roelly Winklaar posing onstage or in front of a camera? His arms, perhaps? That’s what most people say, and the guns are huge—arguably the best of all time. But his wheels have now become equally impressive, giving him top-to-bottom symmetry that figures to make noise in the IFBB for years to come. mrolympia.com
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WINKLAAR’S WHEELS
How winklaar managed to build lower limbs tHat matcH His upper ones is pretty simple: He stuck to the basics. Nothing fancy, nothing earth-shattering. Just tried-and-true mass-building moves done with heavy weights and high volume, with a dash of quad-sculpting leg extensions thrown in for good measure. That’s what the leg workout on the following pages consists of. It may not be cute, but it works. It’s safe to say Winklaar is pleased with his legs at the moment, but he’s not satisfied. “Every bodybuilder wants everything to be bigger, so my goal is always to add size,” he says. “And I’m always working on getting more detail, because having size alone without shape, definition, and striations isn’t good.” When we caught up with the 37-year-old this past spring to talk quad training, he was only a few weeks removed from a disappointing sixth-place finish at the Arnold Classic. And let’s just say he wasn’t in the mood to discuss it. “I’m not happy with that [finish],” he said with a half-hearted chuckle. It’s worth noting, however, that Winklaar didn’t blame his placing on the judges. When pressed for why he didn’t finish higher, he took the high road and stressed that he now has his sights set on a strong showing at the Olympia this autumn after placing 12th in Las Vegas in 2014. “I need to work on controlling my abs onstage,” Winklaar said of the area he’s focusing on most this offseason. “If I can do that, I think my placings will be higher.” He may be right, but in the meantime he won’t let up on his leg training while fine-tuning his six-pack. “I think my legs are big enough to keep me competitive in major shows like the Mr. Olympia, but they can always be bigger.”
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ROELLY WINKLAAR STATS HeigHt 1m70. WeigHt 112kg. BirtH date June 22, 1977 residence Willemstad, Curaçao (Caribbean) nickname The Beast or Samurai career HigHligHts 2009 IFBB Arnold Amateur winner; 2010 New York Pro, 1st; 2012 Nordic Pro, 1st; 2013–2014 Chicago Pro, 1st; 2014 Nordic Pro, 1st
SAFETY BAR SQUAT
Start Put a safety squat bar in a power rack at about chest height. Get underneath the bar so that it’s resting high on your upper traps, with the pads on top of your shoulders extending forward and angled slightly downward—the intended position of a safety squat bar. Unrack the bar, step back, and begin in an upright position with your feet hip/shoulder-width apart (just as you would with a standard barbell squat). With your hands, either hold on to the columns of the power rack for support or grasp the ends of the bar in front on your shoulders (as Winklaar is doing in the photos). EXEcution Keeping your back flat, bend your knees to lower yourself straight down as if sitting down in a chair. When your thighs are parallel with the floor, forcefully contract your glutes and quads to stand back up to the start position without locking out your knees at the top. Focus on keeping your weight over your heels throughout; the safety squat bar should make this easier to accomplish. roELLy SayS “I do different versions of the squat—regular barbell squats as well as squats with a safety squat bar. It’s good to have variety in your workout. With squats, it’s important to use a full range of motion. I don’t do half reps. I don’t believe in them. I go all the way down on each rep to at least [thighs] parallel to the floor.”
“witH squats, it’s important to use a full range of motion. i don’t do Half reps. go all tHe way down on eacH rep.”
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WINKLAAR’S WHEELS
LEG PRESS
Start Sit on a leg press machine and place your feet hipto shoulder-width apart on the platform. Press the weight up with your legs until your knees are extended, then release the machine’s safety catches. Hold on to the handles provided near the seat for stability. EXEcution Lower the weight under control until your knees form 90-degree angles or slightly less. (Your range of motion will depend on your size; go down as far as possible without letting your glutes
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lift up off the pad.) Extend your hips and knees explosively to press the weight back up to the start position, stopping just short of full lockout at the top. Maintain a slight arch in your lower back throughout; don’t let it round to conform with the pad. roELLy SayS “It’s very important to not straighten your legs completely at the top of the rep—this applies to all leg exercises. Locking out the knees can put stress on the joints, which can lead to injury, especially when you go heavy.”
“it’s very important to not straigHten your legs at tHe top.”
WINKLAAR’S WHEELS
WINKLAAR’S TWICE-A-DAY TRAINING SPLIT DAY
MORNING
EVENING
Monday
Quads, Glutes
Hamstrings
Tuesday
Chest
Shoulders, Traps
Wednesday
Back
Biceps, Triceps
Thursday
Quads, Glutes
Hamstrings
Friday
Chest
Shoulders, Traps
Saturday
Back, Biceps, Triceps (all done in the same workout)
Sunday
Rest
Winklaar trains abs and calves twice a week but not always on the same days.
WINKLAAR’S QUAD WORKOUT ExERcIsE
sETs
REps
REsT
Safety Bar Squat
5
12
1 min.
Leg Press
5
15
1 min.
Hack Squat
4
10
1 min.
Leg Extension*
4
15
1 min.
NOTES: Winklaar performs one to two light warmup sets of leg extensions and leg presses prior to squats. *First two sets performed both legs at a time; next two sets performed one leg at a time (unilaterally), 15 reps per leg, per set.
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HACK SQUAT
Start Place your back against the pads and position your feet hip-width apart in the middle of the platform. Extend your legs and grasp the handles.
EXEcution Unhook the safety latches and slowly lower yourself until your thighs are below parallel with the platform. Extend your hips and knees to press yourself back up to the start position. Don’t lock out your knees at the top. roELLy SayS “I keep my feet close together to develop the outer sweeps of the quads; when your feet are wide, it hits the inner quads more. Hack squats allow you to use a big range of motion, so I always make sure to go down as low as possible on each rep.”
“i keep my feet close to develop tHe outer sweeps of tHe quads; i go down as low as possible on eacH rep.”
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LEG EXTENSION
Start Adjust the seat of a leg extension machine so that your back is flush against the seat back and your knees are in line with the machine’s axis of rotation. Begin with your legs bent at least 90 degrees and the weight lifted a few centimeters off the stack.
EXEcution Contract your quads to extend your knees until your legs are completely straight. Squeeze hard at the top, then return to the start position. To keep constant tension on the quads,
don’t let the weight rest on the stack between reps. Stop a few centimetres shy of touching at the bottom and go right into the next rep. roELLy SayS “I do leg extensions two different ways: both legs at a time and each leg individually. When doing both at the same time, I keep my legs in close together to target the outer sweeps, just like with hack squats. I warm up with leg extensions, but I use them at the end of my workout to carve in quad definition.” FLEX
“i use tHem at tHe end of my workout to carve in quad definition.”
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by GREG MERRITT photographs COURTEsY OF WEIDER HEALTH & FITNEss On September 19, 1965, a standing-room-only crowd of 2,500 rabid fans in the Brooklyn Academy of Music screamed as Larry Scott was (literally) crowned the first Mr. Olympia. Exactly 50 years to the day, on September 19, 2015, in Orleans Arena, the 51st Mr. Olympia will be staged. Only 13 men have won the 50 O’s prior to this year’s edition. In their honor, we’ve assembled advice from the victor of each contest—from Scott’s initial two to Phil Heath’s recent four. Like tweets, no tip is longer than 140 characters, and affixed to each are hashtags regarding that year’s Olympia—its location and major story lines. This invaluable guidance from bodybuilding’s legends as well as the hashtag history lesson demonstrates that some things have changed while others have stayed the same over the Mr. Olympia’s first 50 years.
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MIKE NEVEUX; COURTESY OF WEIDER HEALTH AND FITNESS
We survey the first half-century of Mr. olyMpias With tWeetlike advice froM the Winner of each contest
LARRY SCOTT
’65
’66 I eat a lot of beef, When curling, a bench locks your arms in place. I do preacher curls with a barbell and dumbbells in every biceps workoutut. #1stOlympia #26yrsold #nyc
cottage cheese, and eggs. And I drink a lot of milk. Year-round, I don’t eat many carbohydrates. #Retirement #NYC
50 OLYMPIAS, 50 TIPS
SERGIO OLIVA Back squats and front squats built my legs. i go as heavy as 3 reps when squatting, but then finish with a set of 20. #pooleWins1st Ballot #re-vote #nyc
’68
My favourite shoulder exercise is the pressbehind-the-neck. i do 5 sets x 5 reps. sometimes i supersetted them with upright rows. #unopposed #nyc
’70
Find the exercises, sets, and reps that are most productive for you. then experiment and add variety, but stay with the proven formula. #champloss #youngest:23yrsold #tallest:6'2" #sergio2nd #nyc
’71
I train calves every day, at least 10 sets x 10 reps with heaviest possible weights. I gave calves a special focus for years. #unopposed #paris
’72
Barriers are placed not by your muscles but by your mind. I never want to visualize what’s been done before. I want to go beyond. #controversy #lineup:4Mros #sergio2nd #essen
’73
I like the basics for biceps: barbell curls and dumbbell curls. I always supinate when I do dumbbell curls. #domination #columbu2nd #nyc
’74
’69 I eat 6 meals daily with lots of tuna,
egg whites, and milk. I also eat steak, chicken, rice, oatmeal, and vegetables. #ArnoldDebut #Arnold2nd #NYC
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Dumbbell pullovers at the end of my chest routine and before my back routine tie my chest and back together and stretch my rib cage. #domination #2classes #columbushortWin #nyc
’75
arnold presses are dumbbell presses with a twist. go from palms back, elbows forward at bottom to palms forward, elbows out at top. #6inarow #pumpingiron #retirement #2classes #columbushortWin #pretoria
OLIVA: CARUSO COURTESY OF WEIDER HEALTH AND FITNESS; SCHWARZENEGGER: ZELLER, ©FITNESS PUBLICATIONS, INC., COURTESY OF WEIDER HEALTH AND FITNESS OLIVA: MIKE NEVEUX COURTESY OF WEIDER HEALTH AND FITNESS
’67
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER
’76 FRANCO COLUMBU If I did no other exercise for chest, I would always do the bench press. Nothing is better for chest thickness. #2Classes #WallerTallWin #Shortest:5'5" #Retirement #Columbus
COLUMBU: COURTESY OF WEIDER HEALTH AND FITNESS. ZANE: BOB GARDNER: COURTESY OF WEIDER HEALTH AND FITNESS; INSET: RUSS WARNER
FRANK ZANE
’77
i cycle my carbs when dieting. i go low carbs for 3 days and higher carbs on the 4th day. the higher day boosts my metabolism. #aesthetics #2classes #robinsontallWin #columbus
’78 A lot of people undertrain delts. Think of each delt head as a distinct, small muscle and do 10–12 sets for each head. #Aesthetics #2Classes #RobinsonTallWin #Columbus
’79
Bulking was a disaster. so i stay within 5% of my contest weight year-round. and i use photos to measure progress, not the scales. #aesthetics #2classes #MentzertallWin #columbus
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50 OLYMPIAS, 50 TIPS
’80 ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER Sometimes I superset a chest exercise with a back exercise. Neither robs strength from the other, and the upper-body pump is fantastic. #Record7 #ChampLoss #Controversy #Comeback #Retire ment #Lineup:4MrOs #Dickerson2nd #Zane3rd #Sydney
do very strict, full calf movements, exaggerating the stretches. vary exercises and toe positions: in, out, straight. #oldest:43yrsold #1&done #Zane2nd #Bannout4th #london
’83 SAMIR BANNOUT
’81 FRANCO COLUMBU I train abs every day at the end of my workout with crunches, Roman chair situps, and hanging leg raises. #Controversy #Comeback #40yrsold #Retirement #Dickerson2nd #Columbus
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i never lock out hack squats or leg presses until i need a break on the final reps. i want to keep constant tension on my quads. #1stproWin #1&done #Makkawy2nd #haney3rd #Zane4th #Munich
SCHWARZENEGGER & COLUMBU: ART ZELLER, ©FITNESS PUBLICATIONS, INC., COURTESY OF WEIDER HEALTH AND FITNESS; BANNOUT & DICKERSON: BALIK/COURTESY OF WEIDER HEALTH AND FITNESS
’82 CHRIS DICKERSON
LEE HANEY
’84
Moderate weights, workout volume, and training intensity are best for consistent gains without injuries. #ChampLoss #24yrsold #Lineup:4MrOs #Makkawy 2nd #Bannout6th #Oliva8th #NYC
’85
My split is 3 on, 1 off. Day 1: Chest and arms. Day 2: Legs. Day 3: Back and shoulders. Day 4: Off. Then start over. #Domination #Beckles2nd #Oliva8th #Brussels
’86
I never get away from the basics for back: barbell rows, T-bar rows, cable rows, pulldowns, and pullups. #Domination #Gaspari2nd #Columbus
’87
I train abs in every workout. I usually do hanging leg raises, incline situps, and seated leg raises, 4 x 1520 for each. #Domination #Gaspari2nd #Gothenburg
’88
COURTESY OF WEIDER HEALTH AND FITNESS
This is a typical post-workout meal: chicken or fish, spinach, rice or noodles, 140g pineapple, 2 slices whole-wheat toast, water. #Domination #Gaspari2nd #LA
’89
Don’t start messing around with all the little details until you know what you’re doing. Master the basic, compound exercises. #Domination #Labrada2nd #Rimini
’90
I always end my shoulder workout with upright rows (4 sets x 6-10) to tie my delts and traps together. #Controversy #TrailingAfterPrejudging #Labrada2nd #Chicago
’91
I use a high-potency multivitamin/mineral supplement daily. Closer to a contest I take more B-complex and C to aid recuperation. #Record8 #Retirement #BiggestLineup:27 #Yates2nd #Orlando
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50 OLYMPIAS, 50 TIPS
DORIAN YATES ’92 Muscle growth takes place outside of the gym after you’re fully recovered. that’s why i advocate training only 3–4 times per week. #Levrone2nd #Ferrigno Comeback #Helsinki
’93 I train rear delts after lats and before lower back with machine and dumbbell rear laterals, 1 set x 8–10 of each. #Domination #Bigger #Wheeler 2nd #Atlanta
’96 Sleep is crucial to recuperation and growth. I usually sleep 8 hours at night plus another 90–120 min. nap in the afternoon. #Controversy #Injury #Ray2nd #Chicago
’97
’94
’95 My first meal is: 100g oatmeal, 2 whole eggs and 6 egg whites, 2 slices whole-wheat toast, 1 banana, water. #Domination #Injury #Levrone2nd #Atlanta
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I usually do only 1 working set per exercise, but I may do 1–3 pyramided warmups before the working set. #Controversy #Injury #Retirement #6inaRow #ElSonbatty2nd #Coleman9th #LA
CHRIS LUND (2)
i do 2 sets for calves once per week: standing calf raises and seated calf raises, 10–12 reps each. the key is full ranges of motion. #Domination #Ray2nd #Atlanta
50 OLYMPIAS, 50 TIPS
RONNIE COLEMAN ’98
I train everything twice a week like arnold and all those guys did in the ’70s. It worked for them, and it works for me. #Wheeler2nd #nyc
’99
I rarely change exercises. But I alternate 2 different workouts for each body part, so I never do the same workout twice in a row. #domination #Wheeler2nd #vegas
’00
In my first meal after a workout, I almost always have 2 chicken breasts and a baked potato. #domination #levrone2nd #vegas
’01
I did those heavy, single-rep lifts for the video camera. I use big weights, but I always aim for 10–12 reps in my workouts. #controversy #trailingafter prejudging #cutler2nd #vegas
’02
One back workout is for thickness and has deadlifts and rows. the other is for width with 2 types of pulldowns along with rows. #controversy #smaller #levrone2nd #vegas
CHRIS LUND (2)
’03 i do 6 exercises for triceps each week, 3 per workout. one routine ends with close-grip bench presses. the other starts with skullcrushers. #domination #Bigger #cutler2nd #Jackson3rd #vegas
’04
When you do ’em right, walking lunges work because they’re hard. lunges add quality muscle and lines to my quads, hams, and glutes. #challengeround #heaviest:297lbs #40yrsold #cutler2nd #vegas
’05 for squats to be effective you need to stay as upright as possible and get down to at least parallel. #record8 #haneytie #41yrsold #cutler2nd #vegas mrolympia.com
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50 OLYMPIAS, 50 TIPS
’06 JAY CUTLER i prefer dumbbells over barbells for shoulders. i like the freer range of motion and the need to balance the 2 sides. #champloss #coleman2nd #vegas
’07 JAY CUTLER a typical meal for me in the offseason is 280g of beef, buffalo, or steak and, to keep my calories high, 2 cups of white rice. #controversy #Martinez2nd #Jackson3rd #coleman4th #vegas
’09 JAY CUTLER i’ll sometimes do rest-pause for calves. i’ll stop when i reach failure, rest for a few seconds, and then get a few more reps. #champloss #domination #Warren2nd #Jackson3rd #heath5th #vegas
’08 DEXTER JACKSON I end my chest workout with machine presses that are like a press and flye combination. It’s a real inner-pec burner. #ChampLoss #1&Done #Cutler2nd #Heath3rd #Vegas
i do cardio on the stepMill for 40 min. first thing in the morning. i’ll do a second session later if needed. #4thWin #heath2nd #vegas
KEVIN HORTON; CHRIS LUND; BILL COMSTOCK
’10 JAY CUTLER
PHIL HEATH ’11
When I go heavy on stiffleg deadlifts, I feel them too much in my back. Stay light and focus on the stretch, maintaining constant tension. #ChampLoss #Domination #Cutler2nd #Greene3rd #Vegas
’12
Don’t do extreme low-fat and low-carb in the off-season. Instead, focus on getting enough protein and calories to grow. #Greene2nd #Vegas
’13
JASON BREEZE; PER BERNAL
I don’t do any wrist curls. I’m lucky that my forearms grow enough from biceps work, especially hammer curls. #Greene2nd #Cutler6th #Vegas
’14 The most important thing for gaining size is patience. The journey is long. Stick to the programme, eat right, and train right. #Greene2nd #4inaRow #CutlerTie #Vegas
FLEX
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by Tony Monchinski
photographs by chARLEs LoWThiAn
Learn THe STraTeGY FOUrTIMe Mr. O PHIL HeaTH USeD TO TUrn a FOrMer WeaKneSS—HIS CHeST—InTO a STrenGTH 78
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QUALITY TIME
“sizE isn’t EvErything. up thErE, undEr thE Lights, it’s about quaLity ovEr quantity.” 80
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BILL COMSTOCK
Whether you’re in a T-shirt by the pool or onstage in posing trunks, peoples’ eyes are going to be drawn to your chest. And when you’re onstage at the Mr. Olympia competition, owning a well-developed, perfectly proportioned set of pecs is critical to standing out among a crowded field of competitors. Just ask many past champs who’ve sported amazing chests: Sergio Oliva, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Franco Columbu, Lee Haney, Ronnie Coleman. Four-time defending Mr. Olympia Phil Heath wasn’t known for his chest early on in his professional career. The knock on Heath was that his arms and delts overpowered his pecs. People forget, however, that “the Gift” turned pro a little more than a year after he began competing— and that was only three years after he began lifting for the stage. “My first few years as a pro,” he says, “I was creating more roundness, creating more of what people saw of me at the 2006 Colorado and New York Pro shows.” (He won both.) This future Mr. Olympia filled out his physique as he rose to dominance in the pro ranks. “I think [in 2006] I showed people I had a good physique, that I was more on the aesthetic side,” notes Heath. “Now I’m a hybrid who can beat up on larger, structurally bigger guys.” At the ’06 New York Pro, he also won the individual body-part awards for legs and arms. The improvements he’s made in chest thickness, density, and fullness are nothing short of extraordinary. As he inches closer to defending his title at the O this September, he shares the tools, both physical and mental, that he used and continues to use to sculpt a chest worthy of four Sandows— and if he has his way, a fifth.
incLinE dumbbELL prEss
Heath’s chest workouts have followed a specific pattern for several years now. “Wherever I am in the world,” he explains, “my opening exercises are an incline press followed by flyes.” Mr. Olympia focuses on upper pecs, which are often neglected by beginning bodybuilders who are too concerned with how much weight they can move on their flat bench presses. “Upper pecs are so important,” he says. “Especially in your side poses, where the audience and judges can see them pop.” Heath will alternate between incline dumbbell presses and Hammer Strength incline presses. “I’m doing more working sets these days,” he points out, noting he will aim for three to five working sets versus his usual three of years past. “I’m focusing on strength but also being able to move the weight for at least eight reps.” Even for Mr. Olympia it can be tempting to go above the 68kg dumbbells or five plates on each side of the Hammer apparatus, but “I’m trying to be smarter than that.” He rests two to three minutes between sets.
QUALITY TIME The incline dumbbell flye is another exercise that stimulates the upper pectoral region. When executing the movement—as well as other chest presses—Heath is careful not to tuck his chin down into his chest. “When you lower your chin, it means that the weight you’re using is too difficult,” he explains. “You’re creating more stress on yourself by doing that. You instead need to relax and open everything up. If you tilt your head back and keep it higher, you can move the dumbbell higher up on the upper pecs and be able to breathe. With incline flyes especially, I find I get better contractions with my chin higher.” Heath also avoids banging the dumbbells together at the top of his flyes or presses as a way to control the contraction.
incLinE dumbbELL FLyE
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Heath suggests keeping your chin up when doing incline dumbbell flyes to allow for a greater range of motion and a stronger contraction.
sEatEd chEst prEss Make the most of a seated chest press by being mindful of the time under tension (TUT) instead of mindlessly or spastically knocking out your reps. “Time under tension is a good thing,” he confirms. “And there’s nothing wrong with doing a rest-pause set now and again. It shows that you’re in control of the weight and the weight isn’t in control of you. There are days you’re not going to feel like going heavier—and you shouldn’t. Concentrate on the concentric movement, then hold it at the top before coming down.” Heath rests no more than one to two minutes between sets of the seated chest press.
cabLE crossovEr Heath does seven sets of 15 reps, resting 30 seconds between sets. He’ll increase the weight from set to set only if he can maintain intensity. Heath will also vary the height of the cable handles to target different areas of the chest: high to low stresses the lower pecs; shoulder level hits the middle chest; and low to high attacks the upper pecs.
Stretch the pecs at the bottom of the movement, and squeeze them at the top.
QUALITY TIME
pLay to your strEngths During the past nine years, Heath has established himself as the dominant force in bodybuilding. “When I turned pro at the 2005 USAs—and during my rookie season in ’06—I think I showed people that despite not being the largest guy onstage structurally, I’m round, separated, dry, and hard. And I can compare at all the different angles,” Heath says. “I was at the bottom of the heavyweight class at the USAs. I won the Colorado show at 96.2kg, and a week later at the New York pre-judging I was 94.7kg. I’m in the high 110s now, and I’ve managed to avoid injury and establish longevity because I didn’t jump up 9kg in one year. I stayed true to slow gains. “Everybody wants to be bigger,” he says. “Many competitors are more concerned with the scale and how they look with a T-shirt on. You know what? None of that matters when you’re up onstage. Size isn’t everything. Up there, under the lights, it’s about quality over quantity.” FLEX
“now i’m a hybrid who can bEat up on LargEr, structuraLLy biggEr guys.” 84
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hEATh’s TRAininG sPLiT Day 1
Legs
Day 2
Chest
Day 3
Back
Day 4
Shoulders
Day 5
arms
Day 6
rest
Day 7
repeat cycle
hEATh’s chEsT RoUTinE eXerCISe
SeTS
rePS
Incline Dumbbell Press
3–5
8–12
Incline Dumbbell Flye
3–5
8–12
Seated Chest Press
3–5
8–12
7
15
Cable Crossover*
*Performed with 30 seconds’ rest between sets.
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PHOTO CREDIT
by JAMES RILEY photographs by PER BERNAL
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PHOTO CREDIT
Eduardo corrE back that will a focusEs on building thE win thE olympia 212 showdown
Although he only moved up one spot from his previous best, Eduardo Correa made a giant leap forward when he finished as runner-up to Flex Lewis at the 2014 Olympia 212 showdown, breaking out of the three-spot, where he’d been locked for three of his last four O appearances. Less than six months later, at the 2015 arnold Classic, came Correa’s chance for another leap forward—Lewis, the previous year’s arnold winner, was sitting on the sideline, and Correa would be going up against the guys he had just beaten six months earlier. Well, it didn’t work out as hoped. there was forward movement in that Correa jumped seven spots from his arnold Classic debut three years before. However, the outcome also clouded the aura of inevitability Correa hoped to present to Lewis in the autumn, as Correa finished third behind winner Jose Raymond and runnerup Hidetada Yamagishi, two pros he’d last seen in the rearview mirror at the 2014 O.
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Two sTeps forward, one sTep back. The Climb “Frog in a well” is an expression that describes a challenge requiring strenuous effort—for every two rungs the amphibian climbs upward to escape the well, it slides back one. The phrase is generally offered as both encouragement and sympathy; the idea is that the frog will indeed reach the top but that the climb will be arduous. While arduous would hardly be the word to describe Eduardo Correa’s rapid rise through the IFBB Pro League ranks—in 2009, his first year in the pros, he won the Pittsburgh Pro 202 and then placed third in his first appearance at the Olympia 202 Showdown—it is a fitting word to describe the back-and-forth battle taking place just below the top of the 212 division. There has been a lot of jostling among the ranks to be seen as the biggest threat to Lewis’ three-year reign atop the 212 division, and the results last autumn in Vegas seemed to solidify Correa’s claim to the role of top challenger.
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DEaDLiFt
“Your core has to be strong to make a lot of improvement in the back and legs,” Correa says. Powerlifting provided that core, a foundation and base for Correa to build upon. “Powerlifting is a very different sport from bodybuilding—the routines, the diets, the cardio—but because I have that foundation I know how to show some sensibility and not hurt my body. “Basic exercises like deadlifts are really important, although it is essential to remember the aesthetic goal.” To that end, Correa focuses on contracting his scapulas back to target his inner, upper back. “It’s not enough to just pull—you have to establish a mind-muscle connection.”
BACK TO WORK
t-bar row
correa believes rowing exercises are the best for building back thickness, and for working the upper and lower back. T-bar rows, Hammer strength high and low rows, one-arm dumbbell rows, and seated machine and cable rows have all played a role in adding 3-d topography to his back.
correa’s sTaTs
AGE 33 RESIDENCE HEIGHT 5'6" Santa Catarina, WEIGHT 212 Brazil
ChuTes And lAdders In 2010, Brazilian-born Correa confirmed that his debut year in the IFBB Pro League was not a fluke by taking third at the 202 a second time. However, a foray into the open ranks at the 2012 Arnold Classic did not end as well, giving him his only finish out of the top five in his career. Two steps forward, one step back. And then another step forward with his third O third-place finish, this time at the inaugural 212 Showdown in 2012. Correa’s climb suffered a major setback in 2013 when, following an injury, he finished fifth at the O, at the back of the pack of his closest competitors. Correa managed to take some encouragement from the setback, noting that his top-five finish happened even though he was competing at less than his best.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 2015 Arnold Classic, 3rd; 2014 Olympia 212 Showdown, 2nd; 2013 Olympia 212 Showdown, 5th; 2012 Olympia 212 Showdown, 3rd; Prague Pro 212, 3rd; Valenti Cup 212, 1st; 2010 Olympia 202 Showdown, 3rd; Europa Show of Champions 202, 1st; 2009 New York Pro 202, 4th; Olympia 202 Showdown, 3rd; Pittsburgh Pro 202, 1st; 2008 Arnold Amateur light-heavyweight, 1st. mrolympia.com
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Hammer sTrengTH macHIne row Correa frequently changes his grip on all his rowing exercises. He might use an underhand grip for one workout and then switch to a parallel or overhand grip the next. He does this because it changes the angle at which the exercise hits the muscle. “I’m always alternating between grips to work specific areas of my back and increase the thickness,” he says. The Top rung With the 2015 Arnold out of the way, Correa, 33, is looking forward to the O Showdown while training regularly at World Gym in his hometown of Florianópolis under the guidance of trainer and nutritionist Chris Aceto. To take the next step forward onstage, he needs to improve. But where to start? Some have said that Lewis outshone Correa last autumn on the back shots and that this helped Lewis clinch his third Sandow. Others say it was Correa’s density and back detail that got him to the final two in the first place. Regardless, on any Olympia stage, the back is the great decider, and Correa’s back density is a great argument in his favour. A strong back is a necessity for any challenging climb. Correa is focused on that final rung to the top. So he goes back to concentrating on the work ahead, perfecting that package he will bring to the Olympia 212 Showdown in Las Vegas in September. For Correa, the next step forward starts with his back.
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DumbbELL row correa performs dumbbell rows one arm at a time, keeping his free hand on the weight rack for stabilization. wrist straps are optional, depending on how he feels. He starts with the dumbbell on the floor. “It hits the tie-ins from the back to the arms.”
BACK TO WORK
Narrow-grip puLLDowN
since severing his triceps tendon before the 2014 olympia, correa places even more emphasis on stretching, warming up, and finding smarter ways to train and recover. “You have to listen to your body,” he explains, “so you know when to push and when to back off.”
seaTed macHIne row Correa performed seated machine and cable rows toward the end of this workout, but he switches the exercises in his workout and their order on a regular basis. His reps vary depending on the exercise, with Correa rarely doing less than 10 reps—and he sometimes will go as high as 20 in a final set. mrolympia.com
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BACK TO WORK
correa’s wIde, THIck, HangIng laTs are THe producT of a sTrong mInd-Tomuscle connecTIon. 92
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CorrEa’S traiNiNg SpLit DAY WORKOUT 1
Legs
2
Chest, biceps
3
Off
4
Back
5
Legs
6
Shoulders, triceps
7
Off
seaTed cable row The most striking part of Correa’s back routine is the variety of ways he works his muscles. Although he professes not to be worried about weight, volume is definitely part of his workout focus. In this routine, he does nine exercises for his wide and detailed back, attacking it from every direction.
V-bar puLLDowN correa has never been worried about hefting the heaviest weights. “don’t worry about the amount of weight,” correa says, his arms over his head, his biceps nearly brushing his ears as he pulls at the handle. “keep the focus on getting a full stretch and contraction. strength will increase in time.”
mrolympia.com
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BACK TO WORK
laT pulldown
Correa likes to do this one with a reverse grip as well, and he also does a reversegrip one-arm variation using a handle instead of a bar. Whatever the variation, with a little sway of body momentum he pulls down until his arms form right angles, about midchest. “You have to consciously think about the muscles or areas of muscles you want to target when you do each exercise. Forget about the weight’s movement. Focus on the tension.”FLEX
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CorrEa’S baCK routiNE EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Deadlift
3
10–12
T-bar Row
5
12
Hammer Strength Row
3
10–12
One-arm Dumbbell Row
4
12
Narrow-grip Pulldown
3
10–12
Seated Machine Row
3
15
Seated Cable Row
3
10–12
V-bar Pulldown
4
12
Lat Pulldown
3
10–12
BRANDON CURRY • IFBB Pro • 2015 ToronTo Pro 1sT Place • 2013 arnold classIc BrasIl 1sT Place • Team scITec Usa
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Fitness turns 50
In 1965, Gold’s Gym opened Its doors and launched the modern fItness movement that brouGht exercIse and healthy lIvInG Into the Global conscIence by NOAH DAVIS photographs COURtESY OF WEIDER HEALtH & FItNESS
COURTESY OF GOLD’S GYM; GETTYIMAGES.COM
Fifty years ago, in a single concrete room, 9 metres by 30 metres just off the Venice Beach, California, shoreline, modern fitness was born. It was an unassuming spot, but packed inside were massive men pumping iron and curling, benching, and deadlifting thousands of kilos. this was the first gold’s gym, and it would create a revolution that continues today.
From this humble beginning, Gold’s Gym became the Mecca, the fabled breeding ground for the sport’s legends.
The Dark ages Prior to 1965, American health was in decline. Less than a decade prior, President John F. Kennedy published an article titled “The Soft American” in Sports Illustrated, in which he argued that “such softness on the part of individual citizens can help to strip and destroy the vitality of a nation...the stamina and strength which the defence of liberty requires are not the product of a few weeks’ basic training or a month’s conditioning.” More than one-third of children in the U.S. had failed one of five strength tests administered in school, compared with a 1% failure rate for European students. The government was mrolympia.com
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FITNESS TURNS 50 so concerned that it encouraged comic strips to address fitness. Peanuts creator Charles Schulz produced Snoopy’s Daily Dozen, a booklet featuring Snoopy, Charlie, Linus, and the gang going through a series of exercises. The small percentage of American adults who did exercise favoured quick and easy workouts like 5BX, which stood for Five Basic Exercises and didn’t require additional equipment or do much to build strength. Real strength training was all but unknown.
steve Marjanian, steve Marjanian, Zabo Koszewski, Zabo Koszewski, and Joe gold.
a gYM Is BOrN Enter Joe Gold. The merchant seaman with an impressive physique who scored roles as an extra in films including The Ten Commandments and Around the World in 80 Days had an idea. He worked out at Muscle Beach just south of the Santa Monica Pier—where young men like the original “fitness superhero” Jack LaLanne and Steve Reeves, who played Hercules, lifted crude weights, performed feats of strength like handstands and other gymnastic moves, and showed off their hulking physiques to tourists strolling down the boardwalk. But Gold knew they needed an indoor spot so they could work out at all hours and train with better equipment. He purchased an abandoned lot on Pacific Avenue and erected a simple building out of cinder blocks, and thus Gold’s Gym was born. “Joe was a hardcore trainer, a competitive bodybuilder back in the day,” FLEX Chief Content Director Shawn Perine says. “He was about
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building hardcore muscle, about giving guys the chance to create the ultimate physique.” Gold saw an opportunity—at the time there were just three gyms for the 7 million people in the Los Angeles area—but he also understood how much he could improve the bodybuilding community. The weights and benches of the day
were poorly made, uneven with faulty cables and uncomfortable grips. Gold knew what the lifters liked because, after all, he was one of them, and so he set about creating equipment to suit their needs. He turned his two-car garage into a machine shop of sorts, developing benches, pulley systems, unique handles, and other homemade
FRAME: GETTYIMAGES.COM
“Joe [Gold] was a hardcore coMpetitive bodybuilder. he was about giving guys the chance to create the ultiMate physique.”
OLIVA, WALLER, SPRAGUE: ART ZELLER FITNESS PUBLICATIONS, INC. COURTESY OF WEIDER HEALTH AND FITNESS
danny padilla and ed corney; the immortal sergio oliva; former manager Ken waller and former owner Ken sprague. devices that were superior to anything on the market. “When you felt his dumbbells, there was a magic there,” remembers Eddie Giuliani, a bodybuilder from New York who moved to California to train at Gold’s Gym and would win his height class in Mr. America and Mr. World. The gOlDeN era Bodybuilders flocked to Gold’s Gym. While other gyms tried to mimic the cutting-edge technology, none had the brilliance of Joe Gold. Dave Draper, who was known as the Blond Bomber, and who was literally and figuratively the biggest muscle star of the early 1960s, joined Gold’s along with the other top stars of the day. Tourists stood outside the gym, peering in with hopes of catching a glimpse of the men inside. People who couldn’t get to the beachside spot could still see Draper and others on the cover of bodybuilding magazines that were slowly taking off. “That was the ‘me’ generation, and all of a sudden people were discovering themselves,
and what better way to discover yourself than to see how ripped you can make your muscles?” Perine says. Magazines like Muscle Builder featured interviews and tips from the big names at Gold’s, turning them into household names. The rapid explosion of fitness and bodybuilding spurred the growth of scientific breakthroughs and interest from the medical field. The fledgling International Society of Sport Psychology held its first World Congress in 1965, and the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity came into being in 1967. In 1971, State University of New York at Stony Brook chemistry professor Paul C. Lauterbur developed the concept that he would use to create the first magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine and the first issue of the Journal of Sports Medicine came off the presses a year later. Then, of course, came Arnold. Joe Weider, creator of the Mr. Olympia competition and publisher of magazines like Muscle & Fitness and FLEX,
brought Arnold Schwarzenegger to train at Gold’s Gym in 1968, and the Austrian almost immediately became an icon. He would work out with Draper, Giuliani, and his good friend and roommate, Franco Columbu, harder, faster, and longer than anyone else, smiling throughout the effort, impressing the young men who wanted to be him. “Arnold was everywhere,” his frequent training partner Ric Drasin says. “He made it the Mecca.” Throughout the 1970s, the bodybuilding movement continued to gain traction, and Arnold’s gang led the way. Yellow Gold’s Gym T-shirts featuring the ubiquitous Gold’s Gym logo—designed by Drasin spontaneously on a cocktail napkin—were everywhere on the boardwalk, the beach, the bars around town, and beyond. To wear one was to signal that you were a part of something larger. Gold’s Gym hosted the 1977 Mr. America contest. That same year the movie Pumping Iron, featuring Schwarzenegger competing in the 1975 Mr. Universe and Mr. Olympia mrolympia.com
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competitions, vaulted the bodybuilders to another level of celebrity. Soon Hollywood stars like Clint Eastwood were dropping in for sessions as well as sports stars like Muhammad Ali. Bodybuilding had solidified itself in mainstream culture. “I remember watching TV in the ’80s, and every other commercial had a bodybuilder,” Perine says. “More likely than not, that bodybuilder was recruited by somebody calling the front desk of Gold’s Gym Venice.” a legacY BegINs By 1980, Gold’s Gym had been sold off by Gold and passed through a few owners, landing in the hands of Pete Grymkowski, Tim Kimber, and Ed Connors. The trio, nicknamed the Three Horseman, set about spreading the core message of the brand to the nation. They saw that bodybuilding and physical fitness had staying power, less of a trend and more of a basic fact of the aging baby boomer lifestyle. Consider that in 1982 movie star Jane Fonda would take a break from her busy
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schedule to shoot Jane Fonda’s Workout, launching her successful second career. Soon after, in 1985, the American Council on Exercise was formed to create a standard national certification process for aerobic instructors. Fitness was no longer a tourist attraction on Venice Beach, it was a part of everyday American life. And Gold’s Gym became a cornerstone of pop culture. Carl Weathers, who played Apollo Creed in Rocky, wore a Gold’s Gym T-shirt on a Saturday Night Live promo spot; Wesley Snipes donned a Gold’s Gym tank top in White Men Can’t Jump; and Will Smith flashed a Gold’s Gym VIP pass in Men in Black. All types of celebrities from rock stars like Janet Jackson to Olympic gold medalists like Greg Louganis and—the most famous of all—basketball legend Michael Jordan were showing up at Gold’s Gym. Connors opened the first licensed Gold’s Gym in San Francisco in 1980 and dedicated himself to launching new outposts. Jerry McCall, a nationally competitive bodybuilder
who bought into the San Jose franchise in 1982, remembers the old days. “Ed really spawned the licensing program,” the former president of the Gold’s Gym Franchisee Association says. “He had a knack for meeting people, like a hardcore kind of guy who had a small club and wanted to expand.” By 1981, there were 5,000 singular health clubs nationwide, and many entrepreneurs saw the great value in aligning their little gyms with Gold’s Gym, which was rapidly becoming the dominant force in American fitness. The number of Gold’s Gyms across the country skyrocketed. The group took the brand international in 1985 when a branch opened in Canada. The iconic T-shirts started selling in retail outlets worldwide in 1987, the perfect complement to an increasing global focus on fitness, born at that unassuming gym in Venice. By 1993, Gold’s Gym had 1 million members, and that’s when it became clear that it wasn’t just bringing a fitness revolution, it was creating a legacy by helping
ZANE, PULLUPS: ART ZELLER FITNESS PUBLICATIONS, INC. COURTESY OF WEIDER HEALTH AND FITNESS
Frank Zane practices posing as dave draper, serge Jacobs, and artie Zeller look on; claudia wilbourn and lou Ferrigno; a meeting of the Mecca’s pullup club.
ART ZELLER FITNESS PUBLICATIONS, INC. COURTESY OF WEIDER HEALTH AND FITNESS
the oak shows off his quads as eddie giuliani admires.
“arnold would worK out harder, faster, and longer than anyone else, sMilinG throuGhout the eFFort.” mrolympia.com
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FITNESS TURNS 50
Mr. olympias and other bodybuilding legends keep watch, and inspire members,from the fabled wall of Fame; the iconic facade of Gold’s.
Joe Gold, his Group oF aMbitious bodybuilders, and the stewards oF the Gold’s GyM leGacy truly did create a Modern revolution.
a gYM grOws Up While Gold’s Gym became known as the Mecca of Bodybuilding, the brand also pioneered the latest fitness innovations, making sure their members, who came first just as they had when Joe Gold set about creating a gym for his peers, stayed at the forefront. Connors built a group exercise room in the San Jose gym in 1981, well before the trend took off nationally. The Gold’s Gym trainers got ideas from
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everywhere, increasing the use of kettlebells and periodization after seeing the success these exercises and philosophies had in Russia. The cardio age came into being in 1984 with the StairMaster StepMill, and Gold’s Gym locations nationwide featured the machines. Lori Lowell, the national group fitness director for Gold’s Gym International between 1999 and 2009, talked about how classes created the right atmosphere. “There’s a power in group fitness,” she says. “It wasn’t just about coming in and lifting weights. We were delivering a great social environment as well as a great workout.” The success is obvious, with gyms offering everything from yoga, Pilates, and core training to cardio kickboxing. Other classes like TRX and Zumba gained popularity in the coming decades and were quickly adopted by Gold’s Gym locations around the world. This past year, Gold’s Gym partnered with Microsoft to bring fitness into the next era by featuring
its branded workouts on the Microsoft Band, the most cutting-edge smartband available. The legacY cONTINUes The Gold’s Gym legacy has left its mark on the world's attitude toward fitness, even though at the beginning, it was never a guarantee. “More than 45 years ago we all together went on a crusade to fight for health and fitness for resistance training, bodybuilding, and weightlifting,” Schwarzenegger said at a recent celebration. “At that time, everyone laughed. Now 45 years later, there isn’t one hotel in the world that doesn’t have a fitness room. Our crusade has been extremely successful.” In the next 50 years, Gold’s Gym is poised to remain a leading force in the world of fitness. Joe Gold, his group of ambitious bodybuilders, and the stewards of the Gold’s Gym legacy who came in the half century after truly did create a modern revolution. FLEX
COURTESY OF GOLD’S GYM; FRAME: GETTYIMAGES.COM
hundreds of thousands of people realize their potential through fitness. In 1996 it expanded to Europe and Asia, changing perceptions across the globe. “When we first opened, the word fitness didn’t exist in the Russian language,” says Paul J. Kuebler, one of the three principal people to open the first Gold’s Gym in Moscow’s Leningrad Prospekt in 1996. “We had to explain to Russians what fitness was for. In the past, they only worked out to improve at the sports they played.”
changing the game
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On The BrighT Side bikini pro AnA DeliA seeks to inspire others through the power of positivity
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by Michael irons
photographs by harrY GrisBY/lhGFX PhoToGraPhY
Throughout her 20s, Ana Delia was forced to deal with a string of devastating losses— none of which involved coming up short on a judge’s scorecard. She lost her father to cancer, a cousin to murder, a brother-in-law to a drunk-driving collision, and a younger brother to complications from a motorcycle accident. The emotional roller coaster was a bumpy ride that led her into a debilitating depression.
“There were TimeS i felT like giving up,”
Delia reveals. “slowly I’d start to recover, and then something else would happen. I’d think, ‘How much more can I take?’ But I’d make myself get up, brush myself off, and keep going.” One particularly heartwrenching episode took place shortly before her brother’s passing. “I was traveling to Miami, and he came to visit me the day I was leaving. the last thing he said to me was, ‘take me with you.’ I wish I could have.” Delia, now in her mid-30s, can’t forget the heartache and bouts of depression that plagued her a decade earlier. But her dedication to fitness and a mindset to seek the bright side in even the most demanding circumstances helped her prevail. “Everything that happens—every little step that’s put in front of us—can teach us something,” she says. “Challenges will never stop coming, and life will never stop hitting, so it’s up to us to turn the other cheek and say, ‘Bring it!’ ”
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daddy’S girl
“My father’s love for me knew no bounds, but his bipolar disorder would often cause erratic behavior,” she says. “Sometimes I would sleep with a knife under my pillow because I wasn’t sure if or when his anger would get the best of him.” The two grew closer once he found inner peace through religion. “I never stopped loving him, and a lot of who I am today I owe to his example,” Delia says. “He turned his life around, and that taught me that I could do it, too.”
mOving On
Delia competed in her first NPC show in 2011, earned top honors at the 2012 FLEX Bikini Model Search, and scored her pro card at the 2013 NPC Team Universe. “Competing helped get me out of my depression,” she says. “I started to make friends and have a sense of accomplishment. I was happy. The gym became my church. Even now, when I feel troubled, I say my prayers while I train.”
“ChallengeS will never STOp COming, and life will never STOp hiTTing.”
The nexT STep
Delia took a break from the IFBB stage in 2014 and might continue the hiatus to focus on building her business and brand. That said, there has been no letup in her training regimen. “I hustle when I’m in the gym in order to get my heart rate up and to burn more calories,” she says. “I’m training to build strength in all areas, but I think sometimes it’s harder to bring down a big Latina booty than to build a small booty up. Some women are just naturally gifted with great symmetry and tighter physiques. But just because Latina women like me tend to be bottom heavy doesn’t mean we can’t make it work for us.”
end game
“when yOu’re gOOd On The inSide, peOple will wanT TO Be arOund yOu.” 108
FLEX | august ’15
Delia’s goals as a bikini pro and fitness model aren’t simply to rack up awards or accumulate hordes of adoring fans. The bigger picture, she hopes, involves inspiring others to strive to succeed. “When you are good on the inside, people will want to be around you,” she says. “No matter how bad things are, it’s up to you to keep going. I’d like to use that line of thinking to benefit others.” FLEX
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NO PAIN STILL GAIN
The wear and Tear of Training hard and heavy is real. wheTher you’re already experiencing joinT pain or wanT To preempTively give your body a break while sTill making progress, This is The programme for you. by jusTin grinnell, c.s.c.s. /// phoTographs by edgar arTiga
A
s a lifter, new or seasoned, you will face a time when the constant pounding of the weights will take its toll. Most of us have built the foundations of our strength and size with a barbell. Going heavy on the squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press, and barbell row has made up the backbone of our routines for good reason: They work. But after a while, your body will start to rebel against you. Aching in your joints will start to hinder your progress. Your 110
FLEX | august ’15
strength will start to plateau, and building muscle will be a struggle. If you continue to lift this way with joint pain, you’ll end up hurt. The key to dealing with any training injury is to work as hard as you can on exercises that won’t cause joint pain and will help you recover. The truth is, you can still build strength and muscle mass without the barbell. By implementing more work with machines and cables, you can keep joint pain at bay and set yourself up for success without having to stop training. Here’s how it’s done.
Cable lateral raise You can do two arms at once to save time, but doing cable lateral raises one arm at a time allows you to focus on the strength of each shoulder. Squeeze each rep at the top.
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joint-friendly training
programme keys syMMetry WOrk
Maintaining proper joint range of motion is key for any athlete, and not just because it’s “healthy” in some vague sense of the word. By incorporating a sound dynamic warmup that focuses on improving range of motion in the hips, shoulders, and thoracic (upper) spine, you don’t just help reduce the risk of injury, you will actually improve your performance.
Barbell exercises are typically done with both sides of the body at a time (bilateral). Over time, this type of training can cause you to develop muscle imbalances. In order to balance out both sides of the body and improve your core strength, you need to include some unilateral training in your routine. Machines, cables, and dumbbells work well for this goal.
dynamic warmup Perform the following exercises straight through before the start of each workout. EXERCISE
REPS
Foam Roller Back
5
Foam Roller Glutes
5
Knee-hug-to-chest into Walking Lunge
5 each side
Toe-touch Squat
10
Pushup
10
Lateral Lunge with Arms Overhead
5 each side
Skipping
2 min.
The workouTs DIRECTIONS: Perform each workout on the days of the week prescribed. If you are not able to fit them in on these days, just make sure to space them out as much as possible. Perform any exercises labelled with letters A, B, C, etc., in sequence with minimal rest.
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FLEX | august ’15
INteNsIty techNIques There are three major ways you can build muscle: mechanical tension (lifting heavy), metabolic stress (think: going for the pump with high reps), and muscular damage (with long eccentrics and high volume). To compensate for a lack of mechanical tension with a barbell, increase the other two.
grooming by KriSTEn rUggiEro
JOINt MObIlIty
MaCHiNe PreaCHer CUrl Because the machine is stabilized, these preacher curls may feel easy compared with a regular EZ-curl bar. But the stabilized setup allows you to keep the focus entirely on your biceps and utilize long negatives without pain in your shoulders or elbows.
S H OT O N LO C AT I O N AT m AT r I x f I T N e S S C Lu b , A STO r I A , N y
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joint-friendly training
legs day 1 monday EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
REST*
1 Dumbbell Goblet Squat**
4
10
90
2 Dumbbell Straight-leg Deadlift**
4
10
90
3A Lying Leg Curl ***
3
8/8/8
—
3B Hanging Leg Raise
3
8
90
4A Seated Calf Raise
3
10
—
3
20
90
SuPerSeT WITH
SuPerSeT WITH
4B Standing Calf Raise
*Based on seconds. **Focus on a slow negative (eccentric motion), lowering the weight for four seconds. ***You will perform a set with a weight that you can handle for eight reps. Immediately drop the weight by 20% and perform eight more reps. Do this once again for a total of three times.
seateD CalF raise No matter how much volume you use, calves won’t respond unless your reps are high quality. Hold each rep for a three count at the top, then slowly lower the weight.
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FLEX | august ’15
MaCHiNe sHoUlDer Press The range of motion in your shoulder joint opens you up to a host of potential injuries when pressing overhead. The machine press greatly reduces that risk.
chesT, shoulders, Triceps day 2 Tuesday EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
REST*
1 One-arm DB Chest Press**
3
8
90
2 Cable Lateral Raise
3
10
90
3 Machine Shoulder Press***
3
8/8/8
120
4 Pushup
3
Failure
120
5A Rope Overhead Extension
3
15
—
3
30m each side
60
SuPerSeT WITH
5B Dumbbell Suitcase Carry
*Based on seconds. **Focus on a slow negative (eccentric motion), lowering the weight for four seconds. ***You will perform a set with a weight that you can handle for eight reps. Immediately drop the weight by 20% and perform eight more reps. Do this once again for a total of three times.
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joint-friendly training
back, biceps day 3 Thursday EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
REST*
1 One-arm Machine Row
4
10-12
90
2 Machine or Cable Lat Pulldown **
4
10-12
90
3 Machine Pullover***
3
8/8/8
120
4A Ab-wheel Rollout
3
8
—
4B Machine Preacher Curl
3
8
—
4C One-arm Cable Curl
3
8
—
3
30m each side
120
4D Dumbbell Suitcase Carry
*Based on seconds. **Focus on a slow negative (eccentric motion), lowering the weight for four seconds. ***You will perform a set with a weight that you can handle for eight reps. Immediately drop the weight by 20% and perform eight more reps. Do this once again for a total of three times.
oNe-arM MaCHiNe row Unilateral training doesn’t just let you focus on one muscle at a time to get a better pump, it also helps balance your body’s strength and mass. Correcting muscle imbalances will go a long way toward preventing and alleviating joint pain.
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FLEX | august ’15
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joint-friendly training
ToTal body day 4 saTurday EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
REST*
1A Walking Lunge
3
8 each side
—
1B Chinup
3
8
—
1C One-arm Dumbbell Shoulder Press
3
8 each side
120
2A Machine Squat**
3
10-20
—
2B One-arm Machine or Cable Row
3
10-20
—
2C Machine Chest Press***
3
8/8/8
120
3A Cable Triceps Pushdowns
3
10-20
—
3B Cable Straight-bar Biceps Curl
3
10-20
—
3C Machine Donkey Calf Raise
3
10-20
120
*Based on seconds. **Focus on a slow negative (eccentric motion), lowering the weight for four seconds. ***You will perform a set with a weight that you can handle for eight reps. Immediately drop the weight by 20% and perform eight more reps. Do this once again for a total of three times.
cardio MaCHiNe CHest Press You can get a good pump while keeping stress off your elbows and shoulders by stopping the movement just shy of a full lockout, as shown.
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FLEX | august ’15
Do two to three cardio sessions each week on an off day or after one of the workouts. Alternate between the two cardio workouts.
InTERvALS Perform eight rounds of 30 seconds of high-intensity work and alternate it with 60 seconds of low-intensity work. This can be done on a treadmill, StepMill, or rower, or outdoors running or on a bike.
STEADy STATE Perform 30 to 45 minutes of moderateintensity cardio. This can be done on a treadmill, StepMill, or rower, or outdoors running or on a bike.
MaCHiNe sQUat Get as low as you can without rounding your back. Foot position is the other big key; setting your feet high on the platform will be easier on your knees as you descend and will engage your glutes and hamstrings more. FLEX
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celebrating the most aesthetic physiques of yesterday and today
THE HEAT IS ON AUGUST IS A BIG MONTH FOR BRITISH BODYBUILDING
El Noval – the 143 lbs body builder taking Britain by storm
Fay Ellis – the next big thing in women’s physique?
Olympiabound men’s physique star Ryan Terry on training chest
PAGE 121
PAGE 123
PAGE 125
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fleX | august ’15
CHRISTOPHER BAILEY
The countdown to the busiest autumn in British bodybuilding history intensifies this month. Four contests are scheduled to take place and they have some juicy carrots: invitations to the Arnold Classic Europe, British Championships and the Amateur Olympia in Liverpool. The Northern Ireland Championships get the ball rolling in Belfast on August 8, followed by the North-East Championships in Leeds on August 23. The following Bank Holiday weekend sees the inaugural Scottish Grand Prix in Glasgow and the Kent Classic at the other end of the UK. The Kent show, promoted by Sarah and Bill Bridges, has become a blockbuster event, attracting one of the biggest line-ups of the year. The drug-tested Scottish event is new but offers winners a passage to next month’s Arnold in Madrid and the Liverpool Olympia in October. All other competitions are qualifiers for October’s British Championships in Nottingham.
D A O L N DODIGW X E L F F O N IO IT D E L A IT THE
Free 30 day trial on all subscriptions
CLASSIC MUSCLE PROFILE
by John PLUMMEr photography by ChrIStoPhEr BAILEy
EASTERN PROMISE
PhiliPPines-born el noval is conquering all before him in british men’s Physique At just 143 lbs, El Noval is literally half the size of some bodybuilders. But his slight but perfectly proportioned physique is the standard to which many younger guys aspire. The judges like it too: so far this year he’s won at the UK Nationals and the USN Bodypower Classic in men’s physique. FLEX: When did you leave the Philippines for the UK? El Noval: I was five years old. My mum was already living here and she saved enough money to bring my little sister and I here. When did you start weight training? When I was 21. I used to play basketball at college and always loved fitness. I was fascinated by bodybuilding but had never put in the time or effort. How did you get into competing? My partner Tray took me to the BodyPower expo in 2014. We were walking by the Fit Factor competition and I said to myself ‘I could do that’. She then persuaded me to compete in my first show, the East of England Championships, which I won. Since then I’ve had more drive and ambition. How has bodybuilding changed your life? It has changed everything. I used to be that skinny guy that got picked on. Now I feel more confident. What are your ambitions for 2015? Get my name out there more, get sponsored and try to get my IFBB pro card.
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fleX | auguST ’15
What’s your training split? I do the following six-day split. Monday: chest Tuesday: legs Wednesday: back Thursday: shoulders Friday: arms Saturday: weak points Sunday: rest
How many exercises, sets and reps do you do? I do 4-5 exercise, 4-5 sets and 8-14 reps. What do you most enjoy training? Shoulders. I love the feeling afterwards when you can’t even lift your arms. Dumbbell lateral raises are my favourite exercise. It’s an awesome isolation exercise that gives an amazing pump and rounds off the deltoids nicely. I do five sets of 15 to 20 reps, resting for one minute between sets. What’s the best exercise for chest? Bench press gives you upper body thickness. I also like to do nice and controlled cable crossovers. Volume training or high intensity? My body always reacts better to training with high intensity. I like to feel the blood filling my muscle to the point where it feels like it will burst! What is your best lift? Deadlift. I can do 210 kg at a body weight of 65 kg.
How much bigger do you want to be? I would like to be a little bigger. I’d like to be the size of the men’s physique guys at the Olympia. What do you eat in a typical day? Meal 1: 1 cup of liquid egg whites and half a cup of oats Meal 2: 30 g whey isolate, a banana and 1 cup of almonds Meal 3: Chicken breast, 1 cup of rice and green vegetables Meal 4: 6 oz of tuna and 8 oz of asparagus Meal 5: (pre-workout) Chicken breast and green vegetables Meal 6: (post-workout) 50 g whey Isolate, half a cup of oats and a teaspoon of honey.
What do you do for cardio? I’m naturally lean. Walking is my main form of cardio but occasionally I do a high intensity interval training workout. What’s the most common mistake in the gym? People using their phone all the time then they moan about not getting anywhere. What do you do away from the sport? I love to dance. When I was younger I was always in a dance crew. Now I work as a fitness instructor and do personal training.
EL novAL Age 23
Philippines Suffolk HeIgHT 5’ 6” WeIgHT 143 lbs / 65 kg cAReeR HIgHlIgHT 2015 UK Nationals men’s physique champion AMBITION To inspire others and be the best in Britain. BIRTHplAce
ResIdes Sudbury,
INsTAgRAM
@El_Noval
“I used to be that skInny guy that got pIcked on. now I feel more confIdent.”
CLASSIC MUSCLE PROFILE
by
John PLUMMEr
photography by ChrIStoPhEr BAILEy
BIG AMBITIONS
fay ellis is embracing the more muscular look of women’s Physique With two contest wins already this year, Fay Ellis is hoping to be in the shake-up at this year’s British Championships and the Amateur Olympia in Liverpool as she aims to become the country’s first female to be awarded her IFBB pro card through the women’s physique division. FLEX: How did you get into bodybuilding? Fay Ellis: I’ve been lifting on and off for about 12 years but seriously for the past 5-6 years. I was more into strength training until I suffered a lower disc herniation at the start of 2013, which left me unable to train for about three months. When I started back I had put on some weight and wanted to get back into shape, and it grew from there. How has your training changed since you switched to aesthetics? I still incorporate strength moves like deadlifts, squats and benching into my routine but I concentrate less on how much I’m lifting and more on how I’m lifting. It’s more about feeling the muscle work now and I always train to failure. My reps are in the 8–12 range now as opposed to 4-6 before. Why do you prefer women’s physique? I did figure last year but my idols are women like Lenda Murray and Juliana Malacarne, who carry more muscle. Their physiques scream strength and power yet they’re still so feminine. Do you want to get any bigger? Just a little. Because I’m short, I need to make more of an impact when I go up against bigger girls. But size isn’t everything – it’s also about proportion and aesthetics. How have you developed such good symmetry? A lot of it’s down to genetics but you need to train every body part consistently and have somebody who can pick out your weak points. I’ve got naturally big legs but my shoulders and calves used to be small so I started training them twice a week and it seems to have worked. Describe a typical week’s training. Monday: Chest Tuesday: Biceps and triceps and sometimes abs Wednesday: Hamstrings and glutes Thursday: Calves and shoulders Friday: Back Saturday: Rest day or abs and calves Sunday: Quadriceps What’s your training style? Chris Wormley, my training partner and coach, calls the shots but I usually do 5 or 6 exercises per body part.
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fleX | auguST ’15
We do a lot of volume, working in the 10-12 rep range but we change it up regularly. Describe a favourite workout. I used to hate doing chest but I really enjoy it now. We usually start on decline barbell bench press, doing 4 warm-up sets, building up the weight each set and doing 12 reps. We then do a heavy set of 10-12 reps and a final drop set. After that we do incline Smith machine presses, flat dumbbell press, dip machine and low pulley cable rows. We always go for a heavy working set then a drop set. We finish with press-ups. What’s the secret to great glutes? Again it’s largely down to genetics. My glutes have always had roundness. But squats and deadlifts help. I never specifically trained them until last year. Now I have a hamstring and glutes day. How long do you diet for contests and what do you eat? I diet for 12 to 13 weeks. I keep my carbs high at the beginning. I have a lot of sweet potato, oats, basmati rice and white potato and tailor my carbs around my workout. I have a variety of protein sources, including eggs, chicken, lean steak, salmon and white fish, and I eat a lot of fibrous vegetables. I usually eat seven or eight meals a day. I’m always ravenous. What do you do for cardio? I do 20 minutes of fasted cardio before breakfast on a bike at my house. I build up the amount of time closer to competition. I still do fasted morning cardio but I introduce a second cardio session – usually interval training – in the afternoon. I keep it away from my evening weights.
FAy ELLIS Age 31 BIRTHplAce Birmingham ResIdes Mexborough, HeIgHT
South Yorkshire
5’1” / 155 cm
WeIgHT 123
lbs / 56 kg
cAReeR HIgHlIgHT Winning
on my women’s physique
debut AMBITION To
become an IFBB pro
TRAININg AdvIce Concentrate
on form and don’t worry about how much you’re lifting FAceBOOk
@Fay Ellis
INsTAgRAM
@Faysimone
“my Idols are women lIke lenda murray and JulIana malacarne.”
CLASSIC MUSCLE MEN’S PHYSIQUE
RyAN TERRy THE BRITISH IFBB PRO ON HOW HE BUILDS HIS CHEST Virtually every man that has ever walked into a gym has wanted to improve his chest. visually it’s a key body part and if you have ambitions of competing in men’s physique or bodybuilding you have no chance of succeeding without a full, well developed set of pecs. the chest is made up of two muscle groups: the large pectoralis major and the smaller pectoralis minor underneath. when training it, i focus on three elements: width, thickness and depth. i often separate my workouts into three sections: upper, middle and lower chest in order to ensure i’m hitting everything. attacking it this way on all three fronts helps to build more thickness and create the illusion of a more three-dimensional chest. when training chest, as with all muscle groups, i really focus on the muscle itself and try to create a strong mind-muscle connection to help me get the most from my workout. i find all areas of my chest respond best to low (6-8) or moderate (10-12) rep ranges. i believe heavier weights build a more solid chest foundation. i also prefer to use free weights rather than machines. my advice is therefore to focus on the muscle, train hard and lift heavy with the utmost perfection in form. here are four exercises that i find effectively stimulate each of the upper, middle and lower chest. i’ve provided descriptions of how i approach one exercise for each part so if you’d like to try a short chest routine try doing all three together in a workout.
UPPER CHEST
1. incline barbell bench press 2. incline dumbbell bench press 3. incline dumbbell flies 4. Push ups
TRY… INCLINE BENCH PRESS use a barbell for this compound movement, which focuses heavily on the chest but also uses the shoulder and triceps muscles.
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fleX | auguST ’15
i adopt a medium width grip to help me create a 90-degree angle in the middle of the movement between the forearms and the upper arms. Do one warm-up set with a light weight to get the blood pumping then do three working sets, gradually increasing the weight each set. Do a final set drop set to failure, decreasing the weight each time and matching the number of reps each time until failure.
MIDDLE CHEST
1. flat barbell bench press 2. flat dumbbell bench press 3. flat dumbbell flies 4. seated chest press
TRY… FLaT DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS
Do three working sets, gradually increasing the weight each time. this movement isolates the middle section of the chest. remember that throughout the movement, the arms should remain in a fixed position; only the shoulder joint should change position. to avoid stressing the biceps tendon, and to effectively target the chest, i lower my arms at both sides in a wide arc until i feel a stretch on the chest.
LOWER CHEST
1. Decline barbell bench press 2. Decline dumbbell bench press 3. Decline dumbbell flies 4. Push-ups
TRY… PUSH-UPS
this body weight exercise increases strength and develops muscle. it is a compound movement that works not only the chest but also the shoulder and triceps. to build extra strength i often perform this exercise with my feet elevated on a high surface, such as a bench in order to increase the resistance and to target the chest more.
photography by SIMon howArd
Seated chest press is an effective pec builder
CLASSIC MUSCLE LOOKING BACK
text and photos by CHRIS LUND
ALQ GURLEY When Alq Gurley picked up his Pro card after winning the overall NPC Nationals in 1990, a great deal was suddenly expected of this new sensational physique star from Philadelphia. These expectations were down to the fact that Alq had terrific shape and symmetry, which appeared to be sadly lacking, and more or less a lost art at the beginning of the 1990s. Alq eventually made his professional debut two years later in 1992, and it was obvious right from the very start that his amazing physique was different to almost every other Pro bodybuilder that he faced on an IFBB stage. His physique looked superb and faultless from all angles, and it was immediately obvious that he intended to show the world how a real bodybuilder should look. “A real bodybuilder.” He once told me. “Should look faultless, with no particular muscle group over shadowing another. The ideal bodybuilder should have shape, balance and symmetry.” Unfortunately for Alq, the emphasis
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FLEX | AUGUST 2015
on incredible muscular freaky size, was slowly but surely taking over the sport of bodybuilding back in 1992, and Alq suddenly found himself struggling to compete against mass monsters of muscle, even with his perfect shapely, balanced and totally symmetrical physique. He did earn a few second and third places throughout his Pro career but in 1999 after only seven years at the top, his world as a competitive bodybuilder came crashing to a sudden and totally unexpected end, when he slipped over and seriously injured both knees. In May this year I tracked him down in Florida, where he now lives, and asked him if he wanted to contribute to the Looking Back Column in Flex magazine. What you are about to read is one of the most in-depth and totally honest features that I can say I have been involved in during the last 30 years. Read it and learn. You may find yourself having a little more respect and appreciation for competitive bodybuilders.
CLASSIC MUSCLE LOOKING BACK WHY BODYBUILDING. “I guess you could say that I started bodybuilding when I was a young teenager because I never, ever wanted to look small. All the men in my family were six foot tall and over, but unfortunately, I didn’t seem to inherit their genes. So, I simply had to try my best to at least become bigger and stronger. When I was 14 years old I received a set of weights as a birthday present, and couldn’t wait to start training in my parents basement. I would rush home from school, do my home work, eat dinner and then dash down into the basement where I did all my basic barbell lifting movements. I must say that I was extremely consistent and pretty dedicated back in those days, and, to be perfectly honest with you nothing much has changed. I still even to this day, love my training. “Of course, I didn’t really have a clue what I was doing back then because I never knew anybody who was lifting weights at that time, but things changed for the better after I came across The Gold’s Gym Encyclopaedia book of bodybuilding. This book was pretty comprehensive, but still fairly basic, although I did learn a lot from it, and
Mike Quinn with Alq Gurley
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FLEX | AUGUST 2015
even though it helped me, I still felt I needed more. “During the summers of 1975 and ‘76 I attended the Joe Namath football camp in Dudley, Massachusetts. Being from Philadelphia it was a huge deal for me to get the chance to work out, eat and train with the Pro footballers because I’ve always loved the sport. The Joe Namath camp really helped to get me on the right track, and it gave me a proper training plan and program, from which I was able to win a couple of playing awards as a wide receiver and defensive back. “At the Joe Namath training camp I met my very first competitive bodybuilder. His name was Paul Mastropasqa and I found him to be a very nice guy. He took the time to talk to all the campers, and gave us quality, but extremely knowledgeable instruction, which I really took to heart. I began to use all of this information and started hanging out at local gyms to try and find out for myself exactly how real bodybuilders trained. You often hear a lot of things about all this, but believe me, you simply have to go down to the trenches to find out for yourself. Once again, I met some
really good guys who were patient enough to talk to me, and give me info and tips etc. “In 1978 I started training in the high school weight room with a couple of guys at lunch time, because I still felt that I needed to be in better athletic condition. I made tremendous progress and qualified for the Track Team on my first try, running in the intermediate hurdles and 4 x 100 relay. Our team won the Public League Track Championships in my senior year, and I attribute my success to all that training with weights. I’ve always been very athletic and could play practically every sport, so when it came to bodybuilding, I kind of stumbled into it. I’ve also been quite fortunate to have always had great friends and training partners around me.” INSPIRATION. “There are three things that really inspired me to pursue bodybuilding as a sporting career. First of all, I would have to say my training partners. Then there was that brilliant documentary film Pumping Iron, and finally going to see my very first NPC Nationals which were held in Atlantic City in 1987.
“My training partners, were the guys you never see or hear about, but they are a tremendously important part of what makes you become a successful Professional bodybuilder. These are the unpublicised guys who keep you going through all the peaks, and valleys and days when you don’t even want to touch those weights. Horace Jackson, Antoine Mays, Jefferson Philips, Paul Daniels, Todd Howe, Al Faraz, and Henry, who was a cool dude, even though I cannot remember his last name. Big Mike Scott, Scott Brooks, Don Townes and finally my coach and trainer Dr Richard Brown. Glen Edwards really helped to get me started on the competitive path, and he was the first person who told me that I had real shot at making the ‘big time’ because of my shape, balance and symmetry. He was also the first person who sat me down and told me all about nutrition, and exactly how I should prepare my meals for best results. I will never, ever forgot this guy. Glen is from Jamaica and had the best set of legs I ever saw. He was truly genetically blessed, and a super hard worker when he trained, as well as being a tremendous trainer. Plus a few other guys who were also there and helped make it happen. You never do it alone and I’ve been very fortunate to have had truly good people around me throughout my crusade. “Then there was the movie Pumping Iron. What can I say about that? In this one film you’ve got Arnold, Robby Robinson, Serge Nubret, Lou Ferrigno, Franco Columbu, Frank Zane and Ed Corney. Pumping Iron was a brilliant documentary film that would always hype me up, and I don’t know how many times I’ve seen it. It really made me want to become a Pro bodybuilder, so that I could mimic their look and life style. It was bodybuilding at its absolute best. “Finally, there was also something else that made me say, ‘I wanna be a bodybuilder.’ The 1987 NPC Nationals. That’s where I saw Vince Taylor, Phil Hill, Shawn Ray, Troy Zucolotto and JJ Marsh. I suddenly thought, if I could be compared to these great bodybuilding champions then I could compete against anybody!”
EARLY COMPETITIVE MEMORIES. “My training at the start of my competitive bodybuilding career was very disciplined and regimental. I attribute that to my first two training partners, Horace Jackson and Antoine Mays. These two guys helped to lay down the foundation for everything I do to this very day. They were serious, dedicated and totally committed to the task at hand, and boy, I learned a lot from them. However,
I would like to point out that it was absolute fun all the way. I really did enjoy training with them and they became like brothers to me. I still replay a lot of those things we did and experienced, over and over in my head. Great times - great memories. “My first ever posing routine went well for me and all I can remember was the crowd cheering. My mom and my girlfriend were there and someone called out, ‘yeah man. You won!’ The song I posed to was
CLASSIC MUSCLE LOOKING BACK
TRAINING AS A PRO.
“I used to train six days a week while trying to get as much rest as I possibly could. I used this style of training because it was my mode. I also believed that you could train a muscle group as much as was needed, and for me that was 11/2 to 2 times a week, even though I strongly believed in undertraining. I know I mentioned earlier, that I probably did over - train many times, but that was certainly not my primary objective. Rest is the key, and that’s how I grew. A typical weeks training when I was competing would have looked something like this.”
FIRST WORKOUT: CHEST AND TRICEPS. CHEST 1. BARBEL BENCH PRESS: One warm - up set of 15 - 20 reps, followed by 3- 4 sets, of 10 - 12 reps, with 225, 275, and 315 pounds on the bar. 2. INCLINE DUMBELL FLYES: 3 - 4 sets, and 12 - 15 reps, with a moderate weight, because my focus was on the contraction of the muscles. 3. FLAT DUMBELL PRESS: 5 sets, heavy with 110, 120, and 130 pound dumbells. I’ve maxed out with a pair of 160s, but they are too f.....g dangerous, but highly effective!
4. DECLINE BARBELL PRESS: 3 to 4 sets, of 12 - 15 reps, with moderate poundage’s. 185, 225, and 275, concentrating on building shape to the lower pectoral wall. 5. FLAT DUMBELL FLYES: 3 sets, of 12 - 15 reps with moderate weights. 70, 80, and 90 pounders, again concentrating on the muscular contractions. 6. CABLE CROSSOVERS: High, low and medium positions. This is a great pec burner and very effective for power and conditioning. 3 sets, of 12-15 reps. BICEPS 1. BARBELL CURLS: I always warmed up using only the bar for one set, of 25 reps. Then it was 3 sets, of 12 - 15 reps, with 95, 115, and 135 pounds. 2. ALTERNATE DUMBELL CURLS: 3 sets, with 50’s, 70’s and 80’s, for 12 - 15 reps. 3. PREACHER CURLS: 3 sets, with a moderate weight, usually 130 pounds, concentrating on peak and quality biceps contractions.
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SECOND WORKOUT: BACK AND TRICEPS BACK 1. LAT PULLDOWNS: One warm - up set, with a light weight, usually 120 pounds and 20 reps, then 3 - 4 sets, with 160, and 220 pounds, concentrating on those muscular contractions. 2. BENT OVER ROWS: 3 to 4 sets, of 10 - 12 reps, with 185 - 225 pounds. 3. ONE ARM ROWS: 3 sets, with 80, 100, and then a 120 pound dumbell. 4. DEADLIFTS: I did pyramid sets, with 225 - 405 on the bar and then I worked my way back to 225 pounds. 5. SEATED LOW CABLE ROWS: 4 sets, of 8, 10, and 12 reps, ending up using the whole stack. 6. HYPER EXTENSIONS: 4 sets, of 15 reps.
TRICEPS 1. V - BAR TRICEPS PRESSDOWNS: 4 sets, of 15 reps, using the whole stack. 2. SEATED TRICEPS EXTENSIONS: Using a dumbell or EZ bar, for 3 sets, of 15 reps. 3. CLOSE GRIP BENCH PRESS:. 3 sets, of 15 reps, with 185 pounds. 4. PARALLEL DIPS: 4 sets, of 25 reps, using body weight only. THIRD WORKOUT: SHOULDERS AND HAMSTRINGS. SHOULDERS 1. BEHIND THE NECK PRESS: I warmed up with only the bar for one set, of 25 reps, and then did 3 - 4 sets, of 12 - 15 reps, with 135, 185, and 225, followed by a final set, using 185 again. 2. DUMBELL SIDE LATERALS: 3 - 4 sets, of 12 15 reps, with the 30’s 35’s and 40’s. 3. DUMBELL PRESS: 3 - 4 sets, of 10 - 12 reps, using 60, 80, and 100 pound dumbbells. 4. BENT OVER DUMBELL LATERALS: I did these bent over or face down on an incline bench, for 3 - 4 sets, of 10, 12, and 15 reps, with 40, 50, and 60 pound dumbbells. 5. UPRIGHT ROWS: 4 sets, of 12 reps, with 95, 115, and then two sets, with 135 pounds. 6. DUMBELL SHRUGSv 4 sets, of 12 - 15 reps, with 80 pounds, 100 pounds, 120 pounds, and then another set with the 80s again.
HAMSTRINGS 1. LYING LEG CURLS: One warm up set, with 100 pounds and then 4 sets, of 10, 12, and 15 reps, concentrating on the muscular contractions of the hamstrings. 2. STANDING SINGLE LEG CURLS: 4 sets, of 12 - 15 reps with good muscular contractions. 3. STIFF LEG DEADLIFT: 4 sets, of 10 - 12 reps, using 135, 185, 225 pounds and 185 again.
FOURTH WORKOUT: QUADS AND CALVES. 1. SISSY SQUATS: Just to warm up, 4 sets, of 15 reps. 2. SQUATS: 4 sets, of 15 reps with 225, 315, and then two sets, with 405 pounds. 3. LEG EXTENSIONS: 4 sets, of 12 - 15 reps, concentrating on good muscular contractions. 4. VERTICAL LEG PRESS: 4 sets, of 12-15 reps, done very smoothly and controlled. 5. SINGLE LEG EXTENSION: 4 sets, of 10 - 12 reps, with good hard muscular contractions. CALVES 1. STANDING CALF RAISE: 4 sets, of 25 reps on the Smith Machine. 2. SEATED CALF RAISE. 4 sets, of 25 reps. 3. INCLINE LEG PRESS CALF RAISE: These were done with my toes pointing in, toes out and toes straight, for 15 reps each set. Once again I used good poundage’s and hard muscular contractions.
“
This is just a sample of one of my workout routines and I used several variations depending on what I was trying to achieve muscle wise. The workout also varied depending on whether it was in the off season or not.
”
CLASSIC MUSCLE LOOKING BACK Earth Wind and Fire’s, ‘In the Stone’ which was a really dramatic song that worked out great. I actually ended up using that very same song in some of my first posing routines as a Professional.” THE URGE TO COMPETE. “It was always hard for me to gain weight and believe it or not, it still is. I have to always do everything right or I just burn up everything I eat. It’s a blessing in disguise nowadays, but it was a serious grind when I was a competitive bodybuilder. The thing was, I never had any real intentions of ever competing in the beginning. I just wanted to be in great shape, and nothing else. However, when you hang out in the gym and people watch your progress, they start saying things like. ‘You should compete man. You have such great shape.’ So, I guess one thing led to another and pretty soon I found myself going to see a bodybuilding contest, with my training partner. It was the Mr Philadelphia contest, and all I kept thinking while I was sitting in the audience was, ‘I can beat this guy, and that one, and that one!’ Even with all that going on inside my head, I still had no intentions of competing.” WORKOUT PLANNING. “Intensity has always, been my thing. I love it, but having said that, I’m also a firm believer in moderation and pace. Longevity has its place (Dr Martin Luther King Junior). My mom always told me about the importance of moderation and pace. So, I listened. “During my Pro career I always used a wide variety of techniques and styles, because I had to find what worked for me and not what other people recommended, and that applies to all the stuff you read in magazines or books. I found out that being a hard gainer meant that I had to really slow things down. A lot! Everything consisted of intense short bursts and occasionally even marathon type training. By that I mean, long intense sessions, which was gruelling shit. Looking back, I wonder how, and why we did all that crazy stuff. One stupid example was trying to train legs and back on the same day. I didn’t think that it was effective for me,
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so my coach and I sat down and came up with routines that worked specifically for me. This came from all my own input in the gym. “I believe that antagonistic training, which is basically opposite body part training is best, because you can get the most out of each muscle group. Examples would be chest and biceps, back and triceps, shoulders and hamstrings and finally quads and calves. As far as all the other muscle groups were concerned, I would simply add them in as I saw fit. “In those days I never took any time off and there were many times when I was truly convinced that I was over- training, which I’m sure I was. But you know what? It’s the nature of the beast. It simply
goes with the territory. You just do watcha gotta do.” TRAINING AS A PRO. “I used to train six days a week while trying to get as much rest as I possibly could. I used this style of training because it was my mode. I also believed that you could train a muscle group as much as was needed, and for me that was 11/2 to 2 times a week, even though I strongly believed in under- training. I know I mentioned earlier, that I probably did over - train many times, but that was certainly not my primary objective. Rest is the key, and that’s how I grew. A typical weeks training when I was competing would have looked something like this.”
required for Pro competition at that time. I just kept things extremely simple. I had two breakfasts, two midday meals and two evening meals when I was preparing for a show. In the off season however, I added two protein shakes, desserts, cheesecake, chocolate chip cookies, Key lime pie, and ice cream in my protein shakes. I would have scrambled egg whites and home fries for breakfast, which I really loved. I was really only concerned with my total food intake and keeping things on schedule such as eating every 2 hours, 7 days a week. It was monotonous and boring as shit even when I was eating what I wanted. In fact, it got so bad that eating became like a job for me and I actually lost all the pleasure of food for quite a good while. It finally got so bad that I even put all my food in a blender and drank the whole lot, because I didn’t feel like chewing anymore. That’s true talk!”
FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD. “Because I’m quite fortunate to have been blessed with a fast metabolism and high oxidation rate, I found I could usually get away with eating whatever I wanted, but even so, I kept everything relatively clean because I didn’t want to lose all that hard earned muscle. Trust me, it was no joy trying to gain muscular weight, even with pharmaceutical assistance. I didn’t count calories as far as my food intake was concerned, I simply worked out my food intake in grams. One gram of protein per pound of bodyweight is only a maintenance level. For my purposes I normally took in about 11/2 - 2 grams of protein per pound of muscular body weight, which works out to around 300 - 500
grams of protein every day. It also means a lot of egg whites, salmon, chicken breast, turkey, ground beef sirloin and other white fish depending on the season. “I kept my carbs in a 2 to 1 ratio to my protein and I would simply adjust things downwards as I got closer to the competition. I will be honest, once I figured out how my body responded to the various foods I was eating, I didn’t really have to diet. I have always felt that dieting was overrated anyway, so basically I ate balanced meals and sizeable portions, and didn’t over eat or gorge myself to gain weight. “I just did things gradually, and yes it took more time. In my case it took me five years to get up to the 235 -240lb range, which was
HIGH INTENSITY OR NOT. “High intensity training is very effective, but it really depends on your body type and your tolerance for pain, as well as your joints. I did this type of training for many years because I believed that was how you achieved ‘the look’ and all that incredible conditioning that went along with it. However, as with everything in life there’s a limit and a point of diminishing returns, which led me more towards instinctive training, plus the art of knowing your own body. There are many great bodybuilders and other knowledgeable people who firmly believe that one high intensity set can build serious muscle. They really do believe in this, but personally I wouldn’t take this track, because I have always believed that the superior muscular conditioned athlete is the result of multiple sets, and high reps.” HOW MANY TIMES A WEEK SHOULD A MUSCLE BE TRAINED. “I firmly believe that you should train a major large muscle group 11/2 to 2 times a week, while smaller muscles such as claves, abdominals and forearms can be trained as much as four times a week, because of their purpose and ability to handle that work load. But again, the most
CLASSIC MUSCLE LOOKING BACK important criteria is the fact that the muscle should always be allowed to recover from the exercise stimulus. With the advent of all the technology and pharmaceutical assistance available nowadays, maybe today’s bodybuilder can get away with training a body part only once a week, but that’s not conditioning or athletics. It’s just me saying!” WHAT SHOULD THE IDEAL BODYBUILDER LOOK LIKE. Competitive bodybuilding is totally without question a game of genetics. Let’s face it. Anyone can overcome certain genetic deficiencies or inadequacies, but on the Professional stage it will be quickly exploited. There’s a certain package that looks good, and generally wins. Proportion, symmetry and balance is what it’s all about, or at least it should be. I do not believe that there is any one bodybuilder in the world who is heads and tails above the rest. The majority of the guys at the Professional level all look good and up to a certain point the only thing we are really doing is splitting hairs. “Personally, I always go for the symmetry - aesthetic package, which is usually much more appealing, and what the whole thing was supposed to be about in the first place. Not the over blown cartoon look that’s being pushed nowadays. It looks absolutely ridiculous and it takes a lot of crap to maintain it. Furthermore, it’s gonna be a helluva come down for all of them. Oh well.” WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE. “The problem in my humble opinion lies with the controlling entities. The two leading federations in the sport determined the criteria and the athletes had to work within their guidelines and followed it. The format unfortunately, sadly spiralled out of control for many years. Bodybuilding at one stage was actually on the verge of breaking into mainstream acceptance via major network TV exposure in the late 1980,s right up to the early, and mid nineties, but then they dropped the ball, big time! That was very disappointing to some, and even devastating to a whole lot more, including many top Professional bodybuilders. Nothing was ever done to correct this problem, but
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you can’t blame the competitors, so don’t hate the players, hate the game! “I really believe that it’s time to wake up and accept that there’s a whole lot wrong with the current state of bodybuilding. Make those necessary changes now, or just watch it become outdated and Jurassic, which means that it will ultimately fade out of public consciousness, because nowadays everybody already knows what’s up. Bodybuilders should be applauded for their accomplishments not scoffed at and ridiculed. You want to look like an impressive individual not an out of control caricature or cartoon character. I can say this, because I did it!” WHO SHOULD HAVE WON MR OLYMPIA, BUT DIDN’T. “Hmmmmm. Serge Nubret for one, or perhaps Shawn Ray, and Flex Wheeler, who could have taken it probably twice. And, let’s not forget Kevin Levrone, who had Mr Olympia written all over him. I’m looking and thinking about completeness, balance, symmetry and aesthetics. I myself, even though I had some more work to do and a few things to bring up, would throw my hat in the ring, because, let’s face it, everybody is beatable. It’s just a matter of meeting and /or beating the standard in bodybuilding coming into the show in shape.” WHAT’S YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT EUROPEAN TOUR BACK IN 1992. “I actually had good times, believe it or not, on the European GP. They were, as you well know, pretty comical. You had a group of guys who were tired, burned out and generally pissed off. We were all crammed into planes and tour busses, hopping from city to city and country to country. I think I made the best of it and met a lot of people along the way. So all in all a good experience, but don’t ask me to do it today!” WHY DID YOU STOP COMPETING. “I stopped competing because I had a freak slip and fall after leaving a NBA game in Philadelphia. I tore the tendons in both my knees, and it was incredibly painful stuff. My surgery was actually successful
and I made a complete and full recovery, but the doctors however, thought it was best that I didn’t push the ‘competition thing’ again. The choice came down to being healthy and walking or possibly re-injuring the repair again and being in a wheelchair or needing a walker. Needless to say walking and staying healthy easily won. My competition days came to an end in 1999, but hey, I had a blast. Deep down it would have been nice to see if I could have taken it further, but that’s how the chips fell.” WHERE DO YOU LIVE NOW. “I currently live in Southern Florida and I’m still single even though everybody I know wonders how I’ve been able to manage that. I have to say that I love it here. It’s a beautiful tropical place that has a lot of diversity. You can’t beat that, and I can safely say that this is home for me.” WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE IF YOU HAD NOT BECOME A BODYBUILDER. “If I had not pursued bodybuilding I would have followed my first love, Pro football. I would probably be in worse shape than I’m in now, because I’m sure I would have incurred a lot more injuries on the field. However, I would have been paid a whole lot more, and had a retirement plan at the end. I have a few friends who played in the league, and I know I could have done well.” HOW DO YOU TRAIN TODAY. “Believe it or not, I still maintain a de-tuned version of how I trained when I was competing. It’s just a lot more laid back now, and I enjoy it just as much as I ever did, plus it’s easier this time around. I help people along the way and just take time to take it all in now, because there’s no pressure. It’s a shame that youth is wasted on the young, which was my uncles old line. Hey, I’m still young enough to do it, and old enough to know better!” HOW DO YOU EAT TODAY. “Again, believe it or not, I still eat pretty much the same way as I used to when I was a Pro bodybuilder, except I just don’t eat nearly as much or as often. I’m on the old see food diet. I see it, and eat it. Oh yeah, and a lot more goodies!”
CONTEST CAREER 1989 Nationals - NPC, Light-Heavyweight, 2nd Tournament of Champions - NPC, Light-Heavyweight, 3rd 1990 Nationals - NPC, LightHeavyweight, 1st Nationals - NPC, Overall Winner World Amateur Championships - IFBB, Light-Heavyweight, 1st 1992 Grand Prix England - IFBB, 9th Grand Prix Germany - IFBB, 5th Grand Prix Holland - IFBB, 2nd Grand Prix Italy - IFBB, 2nd Ironman Pro Invitational IFBB, 3rd Olympia - IFBB, 13th Pittsburgh Pro Invitational - IFBB, 6th 1993 Arnold Classic - IFBB, 8th 1994 Chicago Pro Championships - IFBB, 3rd Grand Prix Italy - IFBB, 6th Night of Champions - IFBB, 4th Olympia - IFBB, 11th 1997 Arnold Classic - IFBB, 10th Ironman Pro Invitational IFBB, Disqualified San Jose Pro Invitational IFBB, 9th 1998 Night of Champions - IFBB, 17th San Francisco Pro Invitational - IFBB, 10th 1999 Arnold Classic - IFBB, 10th Ironman Pro Invitational IFBB, 7th Contact him on Facebook @Alq Gurley.
YOUR ONE-STOP SOURCE FOR mUSClE NEWS
Josh Leader
wins the IFBB Championships. PAGE 140
CeCiL CroasdaiLe
eyes a comeback to the stage. PAGE 141
▼
UKBFF
Scottish Championship roundup.
Billy Cullen
PAGE 142
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LAST SET NEWS
JOSH IS THE BOSS LEADER LEADS THE WAY AT EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
Junior Men’s physique star Josh Leader was the UK’s solitary gold medallist at the 2015 IFBB European Championships. Leader reproduced the rock-hard condition that won the UK Nationals in April to be the pick of the under23s in Spain. The UKBFF sent a strong team for the five-day musclefest, which attracted more than 1,000 athletes from 40 countries. More than half of all competitors were female, which reflects how the sport is changing. Women also dominated the UK team, which included many first-time internationals. But it was the men that came home with medals. Besides Leader, Ricky Beckford won bronze in masters men’s physique.
Josh Leader is known for his conditioning
Josh Leader Junior men’s physique up to 170 cm / 1st ricky Beckford Masters men’s Physique / 3rd JovaL Gordon Junior bodybuilding up to 75 kg / 5th karina skowronska Bikini fitness up to 169 cm / 4th dave campBeLL Masters bodybuilding over-50s (over 80 kg) / 4th
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FlEX | AUGUST ’15
dave Lamptey Masters bodybuilding over-50s (over 80 kg) / 6th emma paveLey Women’s fitness up to 163 cm / 7th Lu deL Giudice Masters bikini / 8th GeorGia Lewis Junior bikini fitness up to 166 cm / 10th Lisa Brown Masters body fitness / 11th vicki caLe Women’s fitness up to 163 cm / 12th
sziLvia BaBinszki Masters bikini fitness / 14th anita Bekus Bikini fitness up to 163 cm / 14th caroLine caine Body fitness over 168 cm / 15th nataLie Lewis Bikini fitness up to 160 cm, did not place Joanna woLosz Bikini fitness up to 166 cm / did not place aGnes LaGare Bikini fitness up to 160 cm / did not place
Kevin horton
UK TEAM
by John PLUMMEr
on stage at the 2012 British Grand prix
CROASDAILE COMEBACK
Matt Marsh
‘BIG CES’ EYES AUTUMN RETURN TO STAGE Flex Lewis may be king of the 212s but British bodybuilders are not exactly tearing things up in the open class. In fact it is probably the country’s least successful period ever. You have to go back to 2007 to find the last time a Brit qualified for the Mr Olympia. One man planning to do his best to rectify that is Cecil Croasdaile, the 2011 British champion. Croasdaile placed a promising 10th on his pro debut at the 2012 British Grand Prix in Manchester but hasn’t been seen on stage since. Three years on, he’s ready to return. “I’ve been dieting but I had to change direction as I was coming in too fast,” he says. “I am now hoping to do the European circuit later in the year. I am still hungry and as long as training is going well and I feel I am making gains then I will keep going.” If Zack Khan and Alvin Small also return and new pro Nathan De Asha builds on his potential, Britain could finally be a force again.
LAST SET NEWS
1
by John PLUMMEr
2
SCOTTISH POWER
1 Men’s physique up to 178 cm winner ahmed nasir 2 ‘kinG’ zana rules the heavyweights
When Davy McGrath began promoting the UKBFF Scottish Championships nine years ago, just 12 competitors entered. There was that many in the junior bikini fitness category alone at the 2015 contest, which attracted a record 162 competitors and more than 1,000 fans. Men’s physique and bikini fitness accounted for the majority of entrants in Paisley but there were some impressive champions in the bodybuilding categories too. ‘King’ Zana Ahmed won the under-100 kg category with a classical physique that had a tight waist and good symmetry. Nick Bostock beat Peter Bremner in a close super-heavyweight clash. Rosie Harte, the best guest poser in the UK, did a Batman themed routine and 212 pro Shaun JosephTavernier gave a great display of hardcore muscularity.
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3
Billy Cullen
3 Superheavyweight nick Bostock some impressive size
BODYBUILDING BOOM NORTH OF THE BORDER
by John Plummer
BODYBUILDER OF THE MONTH
Samson Dauda
Won two UKBFF contests in the space of a week recently to emerge from nowhere as a contender for this year’s British title. Dauda, 29, was a skinny 70 kg when he started training in 2009 and now weighs 107 kg. With his Shawn Rhodenlike shape, expect Samson to slay many more Goliaths in the years ahead.
PREVIOUS WINNERS
Christopher Bailey
January February March apriL May June JuLy
nathan De asha Dean Lesiak Zack McGuirk GorDon sinGh eMMa paveLey Zak paLLikaros DanieL Feeney
KEVIN HORTON
In 2009, FLEX shot an as-ithappened leg workout with Brandon Curry and training partners Pete Ciccone (left) and Derik Farnsworth in San Diego. The trio capped off a brutal session of leg presses, squats, machine squats, leg curls, and stiffleg deadlifts by heading to the parking lot for some “fun” with a Nissan Titan truck. Each man alternately pulled and pushed the 5,600-pound mass of steel for more than 100 yards. Here, Curry does double duty pulling while treating Ciccone and Farnsworth to story time.
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* Weights sold separately Bodypower Sports PLC - Sole UK distributor for Powertec Fitness Products
157-167 Foregate St, Chester, CH1 1HF Chill Factore, Unit 14/15 Trafford Way, Trafford Quays Leisure Village, Manchester M41 7JA Royal Quays Outlet, Coble Dene, North Shields, NE29 6DW Junction 32 Retail Outlet, Tomahawk Trail, Glasshoughton, WF10 4FR House Of Fraser (4th floor), Corporation St, Birmingham, West Midlands, B2 4LS 35 New London Road, Chelmsford, CM2 0ND
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