Available from www.gmv.com.au

From 1970 to 1975, Arnold Schwarzenegger ruled the world of competitive bodybuilding and won the Mr. Olympia title every year before retiring to pursue a movie career. He returned to bodybuilding in 1980 to compete one last time, winning the Mr. Olympia title for the seventh time. Arnold then went on to become one of the most popular and successful movie stars of all time, a household name the world over.

Arnold The Early Years provides a unique look at Arnold Schwarzenegger, the bodybuilder, with a mix of contest, guest posing, and candid footage. The DVD showcases the development of his physique from a promising 19 year old bodybuilder in Europe to a 32 year old ex-champion making a one-time comeback on the bodybuilding stage. This is a must-have video for bodybuilding enthusiasts and is also recommended to any fan in general of Arnold.

The video journey begins with black and white footage of a 19 year old Arnold at a curling contest in Europe, where, even at this young age, his raw potential is evident. As the video progresses through his career, we see footage of him from many competitions, including his greatest victories such as the 1972 Mr. Olympia where he defeated Sergio Olivia and the 1975 Mr. Olympia where he defeated Serge Nubret and Lou Ferrigno (the same victory showcased in the famous documentary, Pumping Iron).

The highlights of Arnold The Early Years are two candid pumping and posing sessions performed outdoors. The natural light exquisitely highlights every physical attribute of Arnold’s muscles. The first session features Arnold at age 20. He performs a variety of exercises with dumbbells to pump his muscles and then presents a series of poses, showing the evolving combination of mass and detail that would lead him to Olympia championships in a few short years. The footage has a very intimate feel as videographer Wayne Gallasch shoots only a few feet away from Arnold. On several occasions, Gallasch zooms in on a flexed bicep, before pulling back to show Arnold’s entire physique in all its pumped glory, skillfully highlighting Arnold’s muscular frame at all times. There’s a natural, casual feel to the footage, as Arnold poses exclusively for the camera, the sunlight bathing his body; with each pose, his muscles appear to grow even larger.

The second pumping and posing session was shot in 1972 and features Arnold, then a three-time Mr. Olympia, along with his training partner Franco Columbu. They pump-up through a mix of exercises, including each first grasping an end of a towel and taking turns between pulling and resisting. Arnold also does lateral raises with Franco providing the resistance by pushing down on Arnold’s forearms as he moves through the range of the exercise. The session concludes with a pool-side posing display by Arnold, his muscles engorged with blood, showcasing himself in his prime, a documentation of why his massive yet refined physique is still considered one of the most stunning of all time.

Arnold The Early Years is a well-crafted video tribute to the man whose competition images still inspire people to achieve top physical greatness three decades later and no doubt will continue to do so for generations to come.

With a beaming smile, Susan Maloney stood on-stage at the OCB Iron City Classic proudly accepting the overall title for the Figure Division and the pro card that came with it. It had been an incredible day for the 39 year old college professor. Her 5’3” 103 lb physique displayed an impressive combination of muscle development and cuts, and on this day she reigned supreme as the most heralded competitor in the entire show with a complete sweep of wins in every category she entered. In addition to the Figure Open Overall, she also won the Figure Novice, Bodybuilding Novice and Bodybuilding Open Overall titles. During her posing routine she flexed with the poised presence of a veteran, but in fact this was her first ever contest. Actually, Susan Maloney first started bodybuilding training just 18 months prior to the show. Here’s her story…

Athletic Background

“I have enjoyed playing sports since a young age. In high school I played basketball, volleyball and softball. After that, I got into running and went on to do a few marathons. In ’07 I injured my hip and had to take some time off from running. Around this same time I was really busy working full-time and taking classes for my doctorial in Psychology, feeling very stressed. I ended up putting on fifteen pounds. When I went back to regular running the weight wouldn’t come off. I joined a local gym in my area, Bill Lawrence’s Personal Fitness, and began getting personal trained by Bill Lawrence, who is a competitive bodybuilder. This was my first experience with bodybuilding training, and I found that I immediately liked it.

My plan when I first started was to lift for a few months and lose the weight. Once I started to see changes in my body from the lifting, though, I was hooked. The workouts caused not only my body fat to drop but my muscle tone to increase. As this was happening, I watched some of the competitive bodybuilders train in the gym and I was really inspired by how hard they worked and the results they were able to achieve. They made me want to see for myself what I could do with my body if I dedicated myself further. I decided to set a goal for myself to enter a competition.”

Discovering Bodybuilding Training

“My first program was lifting every Tuesday and Thursday — upper body one day and lower body the other. From there, I switched to a three day a week program, splitting the body parts. Monday I did chest/biceps/triceps; Wednesday I did legs; Thursday I did back and shoulders. For cardio, I did the stationary bike or Stairmaster five times a week for 16 minutes of maximum intensity. As far as the bodybuilding training went, I took each set to exhaustion. I did one warm-up set and two working sets, trying to get 4-6 reps and then a few forced reps. It is a low volume, high-intensity style that Bill has always had me do and it has worked very well for me.”

The Daily Diet to Build Muscle

“I averaged about 200 grams of protein daily and probably about 80 grams of carbs. I ate every two hours, with the protein sources coming primarily from egg whites, lean fish, and chicken breasts. Most of my carbs came from vegetables, although I always ate a starchy carb after my workout. I followed this year-round. I didn’t do cheat meals. For daily supplementation, I took protein powder before and after my workout, multiple vitamins, amino acids, glucosamine, glutamine, 5-7 grams of Vitamin C, Beta Alanine and Arginine.”

The Pre-Contest Diet

“My body fat was around 10 % when I made the decision to compete about eight weeks before the Iron City Classic. At that point, Bill raised my daily calories from 2000 to 2500 to try to put a little more mass on me. Most of the extra calories were protein. I was able to put on three and a half pounds of muscle in approximately two weeks. Next, he cut my carbs slightly. Since my diet was very clean to begin with there wasn’t any major changes. As far as weight-training, the only real change was the last three weeks I went from the two working sets per exercise to one.”

Cardio Conditioning

“To prep for the contest, I did cardio eight times a week: Monday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and twice on Tuesday and Thursday. The time and intensity was the same as before. I just did it more often.”

Physical Goals for the Show

“Having very lean, cut glutes and hamstrings were definitely a priority. I was very happy with the end results. One of the judges commented to me afterwards that I was really lean in my glutes and hamstrings, which they said isn’t easy for women. Another judge told me though that I need to have wider lats and bigger shoulders, so that will probably be something I will focus on now.”

Learning how to Pose

“About eight weeks out my trainer taught me the bodybuilding poses and I practiced them a couple of times a week. At three weeks out, I began daily practice and my trainer evaluated my posing technique once a week by observing my whole routine. I also studied posing videos and an audio CD I bought from OCB’s website, which helped a lot. As a result of all this preparation, I felt really comfortable on stage. Because I knew that I had done my homework I also felt very confident about my presentation, which I feel was a deciding factor in me doing so well. Either way, though, I knew I had worked as hard as I could in preparation, so the outcome was just that much sweeter.”

Future Competition Plans

“I plan on doing the Yorton Cup in Washington DC in November for both bodybuilding and figure competition. At the last show, one of the judges told me that if I pursue the pro card for figure I may want to be a little softer and if go with bodybuilding I will probably need to put on some more mass. My trainer recommended I continue doing both and see if there’s one I like more than the other.”

Competition Advice for other Women

“Train hard in preparation, practice posing a lot, and seek advice from someone experienced when you have contest prep questions, be it diet or workout related. Most of all though have fun with the whole experience. That includes being on-stage as well. Allow yourself to enjoy the moment.”

* Photos by Richard Rossan

Pic 1) Phil Heath and Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler
Pic 2 & 3) Gustavo Badell, 2nd place
Pic 4) Phil Heath and third-place finisher Moe Elmoussari

Los Angeles, California - February 2008

Phil Heath strides onstage for his compulsory poses with a huge, confident smile on his face. There is an immediate rise in the noise among the crowd as they take in his physique from head to toe. “The Gift”, as Heath is called, hits a double bicep and his presentation just flows from top to bottom: the massive arm muscles flexing to full size; chiseled abs tensing in etched detail; deep muscle separation in the quads. The buzz in the crowds rises a notch further with each subsequent pose. The word champion immediately comes to my mind. This is my first time seeing Phil Heath live: he has a big, cut, sculpted physique, with muscles that burst from every area as he flexes. He is a combination of both impressive size and picturesque aesthetic detail. At just 28 years old he is the second youngest pro in the IFBB.

I couldn’t have a better view of Heath and the other pros flexing. Thanks to Wayne Gallasch of GMV Productions I am in the front row, aisle seat, arguably the best seat in the house, a good twenty yards closer to the action then the judges themselves. I am shooting second camera from a tripod for the Iron Man DVD, which Gallasch is producing. Gallasch has been shooting muscle videos himself since the late ‘60s and has filmed all over the world. He promoted on his website the bodybuilding training documentary DVD I shot, Sculpted by Choice, and he now giving me my first opportunity to shoot at a contest. What a way to start my newest video adventure, the third biggest pro show of the year! There is a loaded line-up of musclemen, including defending champion Toney Freeman, Gustavo Badell, Silvio Samuel, King Kamali, David Henry and a host of massive European bodybuilders looking to make their mark in the US.

My assignment for GMV is to capture tight shots of the flexing muscles that will be edited in between Gallasch’s main, wider camera view. My first row seat provides a unique vantage point for watching the show, as many of the bodybuilders I have seen over the past year in MuscleMag come to life so close that I see every bulging vein and striation to a degree I have never experienced before. There are 32 competitors in all, and after viewing each, three stand-out prominently: Phil Heath, Gustavo Badell, and Silvio Samuel.
Badell is the physically biggest of the trio and the most in-shape big man on stage. He has a commanding presence and exudes an intense energy, whether flexing or standing tensed. With each pose he strikes during his compulsory routine, Badell bellows a loud scream and cinches in the shot, holding for a few seconds longer than most of his competitors do. It works for dramatic effect when you are this ripped and thickly muscled. Badell tenses a specific muscle area and the veins pop. My lens fills with the awesome image.
Silvio Samuel, who made his first big splash on the scene at this same show last year, displays the usual full, bursting muscle mass and ripped condition that led him to a top ten finish at the recent Mr. Olympia. There are some other massive bodybuilders as well that garner attention, though they will not be contending for the top spots.

Gallasch instructs me prior to the pre-judging to pay special attention to “freaky” body parts in close-up shots, as they will make good insert footage. He tells me in particular to get some good shots of Neset Lcl a newcomer from Holland that was being talked about at the press conference for his massive size. He has a thick frame packed with muscle and his sheer bulk draws a reaction from the crowd when he first comes through the curtain. His quads are full of bulging veins that lift prominently off the surface of the muscles. Freaky indeed. I’ve never seen such quad vascularity live. He is equally big in his upper body, but as he flexes it is apparent he lacks the detail and cuts to match his awesome lower body. In the end it will prevent him from cracking the top 15.

Paul Baker, a former Caribbean Champion from Jamaica, is another impressive newcomer who I find my camera focusing on quite a bit at the pre-judging. He has thick powerful looking muscles with lots of vascularity. Baker clearly outsizes most of the other competitors. He also has good definition, proportions and a strong stage presence. He is somehow unable to place in the top 15, but causes a buzz nevertheless with the audience who seems to be a bit partial, as always at IFBB shows, to the bigger guys.

As the pre-judging comes to a close the talk among the crowd seems split between Heath and Badell as the winner. The general consensus is that the competition will come down to whether the judges lean towards Badell’s larger frame or Heath’s stunning aesthetics. In turn, it would provide an insight perhaps into the judging criteria for the upcoming IFBB season.

As the female figure models file on stage for the next show, I rush out of the auditorium to attend a seminar upstairs by the legendary Robby Robinson, the first of several bodybuilding seminars to be held in conjunction with the weekend events, which also includes the LA Fit Expo and MMA card.

Robby Robinson was one of the top bodybuilders of the 70s. He is a former Mr. Universe and twice runner-up at the Mr. Olympia. “The Black Prince”, as he was dubbed, was perhaps best known for his massive peaked biceps. Three decades later Robinson is still in great shape, works out five days a week with the weights, eats clean, does intensive cardio, retires at 8 pm and rises at 5 am. This is the same routine he followed back in his competitive prime.

Robby tells the audience that he first got interested in bodybuilding when he was 13 and saw a Steve Reeves
movie. It spawned a desire to have a big, muscular, fit physique. Thus began his bodybuilding journey. In 1975 newly turned pro Robinson moved to Venice Beach from South Florida and began training at the legendary Gold’s Gym.

An audience member asks how he thinks the champions train differently now than in the ‘70s. Robinson grins and looks around the room slowly, as if he’s about to let us in on a closely guarded secret. He chooses his next words carefully. He makes it clear he means no disrespect to today’s current crop of pros, but he adamantly believes the guys from his era trained harder and loved every minute to boot. He fondly recalls the day-in day-out intensity of the bodybuilders at Gold’s, including himself, Ed Corney, Ken Waller, Franco Columbu and, of course, the leader of the group, Arnold. “We’d train 20 sets for each body part,” said Robinson, “and push ourselves to the point of almost collapsing. Everyone wanted to outdo the next guy in terms of intensity. It was a great environment to train in.”

In the response to several audience requests, Robinson peels off his shirt at the end of the seminar and goes through a series of poses. He reveals a ripped, muscular physique with defined abs and the same awesome peaks to his biceps that wowed fans three generations prior. “How old are you?” inquires someone in the front row. “I’m 61,” says Robinson in a soft, deep voice, hitting another double bicep pose. “You look great for any age,” yells out an older woman in the audience while snapping a picture of “The Black Prince”.

Phil Heath is the speaker at the next seminar I attend. He opens by talking about how he made the transition from Division 1 college basketball to competitive bodybuilder and the challenges he faced in preparing for his first contest surrounded by negative influences. Heath believes that the mind is one of most powerful tools, and we can use it to achieve success in all areas of life. During the course of talking about his own life, Heath relays many messages designed to inspire people to be their best. “Take the energy you put into something you are good at it and apply it to something else you are struggling with and watch the improvement,” says Heath. He adds he instilled this philosophy in his 14 year old step son who used it to improve from a C to a B student.

Heath also stresses the importance of competing with yourself as opposed to competing with others when it comes to bodybuilding. He says to not compare yourself to others and become discouraged, as some people will just grow faster and be better developed than others. Work to be the best you can personally be and push yourself to achieve your own goals. That is true success, according to Heath. He mentions an excellent way to chart your improvement is to take digital photos of yourself every few months. Full of positive energy, a very personable demeanor, and youthful appearance, Phil Heath speaks to the audience with the same passionate drive with which he poses on stage. I left his seminar thinking what a wonderful, enthusiastic representative of the bodybuilding community he would make to speak to a mainstream audience.

The final seminar I attend features Mr. Olympia, Jay Cutler. This is the third time I have heard Cutler speak and he always comes across very humble and low-key. Wearing a tank-top and weighing 300 lbs, but by no means looking out of shape, Cutler is one of the thickest individuals you are ever to likely see in your life. Just mind-bogglingly massive in person.

Cutler’s advice to the aspiring champion bodybuilders in the audience is simple and to the point: train hard and consistently, while consuming five to seven meals a day of healthy foods. He advises those that have a busy lifestyle to do as he does: cook all meals the night before and carry around a cooler.

He acknowledges to the audience that he wasn’t his best at the prior Olympia and is looking forward to defending his title with a resounding victory in September, 2008 to silence many of his critics. Cutler said he isn’t focusing on beating any one competitor per se, but rather on bringing himself to his own best condition. He closes his seminar by thanking the audience for supporting bodybuilding and attending his seminar.

The finals for the Iron Man were held Saturday evening and promised to hold a few surprises, as IFBB contests always tend to. While it is genuinely agreed that Heath and Badell will be battling for a top spot, the remaining three Olympia qualifying spots seemed to be up for grabs to one of a number of competitors. In a change from last year, all 32 competitors did their posing routines. Some do straight forward routines, hardly moving from one spot, while others like Phil Heath roam the stage as if it is their own, flexing to each side of the audience.

It comes down to six in the pose down: Health, Badell, Samuel, Johnnie Jackson, Desmond Miller, and dark horse Moe Elmoussari who bests better-known competitors Troy Alves (7th) and Toney Freeman (8th). Over a thousand pounds of the muscle consume the stage to the delight of the crowd, hitting pose after pose showcasing their physiques for the final time of the evening. Then the competitors line up and wait for the placement announcement.

Will hyped newcomer Heath grab the title? Will Badell outmuscle his charismatic younger competitor? Will Samuel knock them both off?

The placings are read slowly, 6th Miller…5th Jackson..then an even longer pause…4th Samuel. The crowd boos. Third Elmoussari… who comes out of virtual obscurity to get his first Olympia qualification. Badell and Health remain center stage, muscles tense waiting for the final word. 2nd place…Gustavo Badell. A clear look of disappointment spreads across his face, something indeed expected from an intense competitor such as he is. A look of pure delight flashes on Heath’s face as Jay Cutler hands him the winner’s trophy. The eyes seem to lock for a split second, perhaps foreshadowing a showdown on the Olympia stage come September. It is the biggest win of Heath’s career and a decision that pleases the audience in the packed house who chant his name. In his acceptance speech he announces his plans to compete at the next Mr. Olympia, his first time doing the show. The Iron Man Pro proves to be an excellent start to what promises to be an competitive year in the IFBB.

* To order the 2008 Iron Man Pro 2 disc DVD set go to www.gmv.com.au

Shawn Stasiak is the only second-generation wrestler of a world champion in pro wrestling today. His father, Stan “The Man” Stasiak, was a dreaded villain in the world of wrestling throughout the 60s and 70s, knocking out opponent with his famous heart punch finisher. In 1973 Stan became the 5th WWWF world champion. Young Shawn often traveled to the matches with his burly father, hanging out in the locker rooms with the likes of Roddy Piper, Andre The Giant and other stars of the era. It was here that the initial desire to become a pro wrestling star himself was born, a goal Shawn achieved in 1999 when he burst onto the national scene in the WWE as “Meat”. Recruited after he sent a video of himself cutting a promo as the character “Phobia” (a take-off of a young Sting) to WWE after college, Shawn underwent a grueling one-year training program at the WWE’s Stamford headquarters to prepare for his new career. Here he trained alongside the likes of Edge, Kurt Angle and Christian Cage.

During the course of his WWE career Shawn faced many of the biggest names in wrestling, including The Rock, Steve Austin, The Undertaker, Rikishi, Billy Gunn, Road Dog and Kane. In WCW he was a two-time world tag team champion with Chuck Palumbo, managed by Stacey Keibler for a tenure, and battled such stars as Kevin Nash, Sting, Bam Bam Bigelow and Dustin Rhodes.

In 2002 Shawn left pro wrestling to attend school to achieve another life-long dream of becoming a chiropractor. He currently is a licensed chiropractor and has a growing practice in the Dallas area. Shawn recently also starred in a documentary about his life, “Shawn Stasiak Determined”. The 2007 DVD release follows his life journey from growing up the son of a pro wrestler to becoming a pro wrestler himself and the transition to becoming a chiropractor, as well as showcases his intense workouts in the gym that built his physique. The documentary’s release became a springboard for Shawn’s latest endeavor as a motivational speaker, where his messages focus on inspiring people of all ages to maximize their life potential through positive thinking, clean-eating, and exercise.

The desire to perform in the pro wrestling ring remains strong, through. With the intense rigors of chiropractor school behind him, Shawn has found his way back recently to one of his greatest passions: pro wrestling. At recent pro wrestling appearances around the country for independent organizations he has displayed the impressive physique fans remember from his WWE days and an even more aggressive style in the ring with influences from mixed martial arts.

A natural entertainer in top condition with an intense attitude, Shawn Stasiak is a pro wrestling talent ready to once again leave a lasting impression on an international audience fans.

He’s back.

The bodybuilder stands alone, a muscular 6’3” 240 lbs, grunting and sweating as he grinds out barbell curls. The burning in his biceps is intense, but he thrives on this feeling. He curls the weight all the way up and squeezes the biceps, then slowly lowers the weight feeling every inch of the negative. Each rep causes the blood to further swell his already naturally large, peaked biceps. When his muscles will move the weight no more, the bodybuilder releases the barbell to the floor. He’ll rest a minute and then repeat it all over for two more sets before moving on to alternating dumbbell curls. This isn’t work, though. It’s sheer joy.

The bodybuilder would prefer to train in the cooler evenings like most, but his schedule won’t allow it. He fits his own workouts in between personal training clients and classes at California State University Northridge for his master’s degree in exercise physiology, with an eye on teaching health-related topics at the university level. Dedicated and driven in all aspects of his life, James Kohler is a 28 year old who has devoted his life around bodybuilding. healthy living, and teaching the benefits to others. He believes the positive principles associated with the bodybuilding lifestyle like the dedication and focus involved in regularly working out and eating a healthy diet will translate into people finding success in all areas of life, business and personal, when they apply the same principles. Kohler also believes anyone can make physical improvements, no matter what their age or fitness background.

Kohler, like many, was first drawn to bodybuilding as a teenager because of Arnold Schwarzenegger and a fascination with muscles. “I was real skinny kid when I started high school,” says Kohler. “I read Arnold’s book ‘The Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding’ and was inspired to build my body. I followed the routines and tips and by the time I graduated high school I had gone from 125 lbs as a freshmen to 215 lbs.” After seeing Arnold in the movie ‘Pumping Iron‘, Kohler was further inspired, this time to train for and enter a bodybuilding competition. In first show, the Teen Mr. Wisconsin, he narrowly lost to future IFBB pro Art Atwood. Kohler continued to compete each year after, winning his weight class in the Mr. Wisconsin in 2004 and getting a pro card that same year from the drug-tested MuscleMania organization after placing third at the MuscleMania Supershow. Kohler won the Mr. Natural California title in June 2007 and in the process received his pro card with NGA organization.

Kohler’s busy daily schedule allows him to relate to the dilemma many busy professionals face when trying to balance training, career, and relationships. Through trial and error of his own, Kohler has picked up many tips that will work for the busy man to maximize his training time in the gym. Success for the recreational bodybuilder as far making consistent physical improvements, says Kohler, comes from an emphasize on three primary things: training, nutrition, and mental outlook. “If one is lacking the other two will suffer,” he adds.

Intensity, coupled with good form on exercises, is a key point to Kohler’s own training and something he emphasizes with his clients. “Maximize your time and energy in the gym. You can get a great workout in under an hour for single body part if you stay focused. Hit each muscle once a week, and hit it hard. Then allow it to rest,” says Kohler. He recommends doing one warm-up and then one acclimation (meaning stop two reps before failure) set followed by three to four exercises per body part, three sets each, choosing each exercise with the idea to target different areas of the muscle. Take each working set to failure.

For chest hit your upper (incline), middle (flat) and lower (decline) chest. Back workouts should include exercises for both width (lat pulldowns) and thickness (t-bar rows and barbell rows). Work all three heads during your shoulder routine: front (dumbbell presses), side (side dumbbell laterals) and rear (bent over dumbbell laterals). Use power exercises (squats) and isolation exercises (leg extensions) to bring both mass and detail to your thighs. Kohler adds, though, for taller trainees like himself they may prefer leg presses as he founds squats were hitting his glutes too much. Excellent bicep development can be achieved by incorporating exercises that work the overall muscle (barbell curls) and isolate each individual bicep (one armed preacher curls). For lagging triceps, Kohler recommends trying two less common exercises. “I like decline barbell bench presses with a close-grip because I feel it in the triceps a lot more then the same exercise on a flat bench. Another great exercise is one taught to me by former Mr. Olympia Frank Zane during a session at his private training facility: overhead tricep extensions with a rope. I found them easier on my elbows then regular dumbbell extensions and recommend them to others with a similar problem.” On hamstrings and calves you can add variety by rotating between standing (one legged curls and calf raises) and seated (lying leg curls and seated calf raises) positioning.

For intensity purposes, take each post accumulation set to point you can’t move the weight anymore (use a spotter on appropriate exercises to ensure safety). When you feel like you need something extra or are just in the mood for variety, Kohler says to occasionally add in one of the following principles and find which your body responds to best: 1) forced reps - when you can’t do another rep, have a spotter assist you do pump out two more; they should be helping guide the weight up, adding a minimal amount of assistance, not doing all the work. 2) Rest-Pause - Go to failure, rest ten seconds, and then pump out as many more reps as you can; always have a spotter. 3) Drop sets - After going to failure, drop the weight by ten to fifteen pounds and immediately perform the exercise to failure again. Then drop the weight by fifteen pounds again and repeat.

Kohler currently does a six day on-one off routine, but emphasizes that each person is an individual and has to experiment for themselves with what works best for their own body type in terms of growth. “We as serious bodybuilders balance a fine line between growth and overtraining, especially when you have a hectic lifestyle,” he says.

Kohler’s Weekly Routine
Day 1) Back
Day 2) Chest/Abs
Day 3) Quads/Calves
Day 4) Shoulders/Abs
Day 5) Biceps/Triceps
Day 6) Hamstrings/Calves/Abs
Day 7) Rest

* four exercises for chest/back/shoulders, three sets per exercise, 6-12 reps
* three exercises for quads/hamstrings/biceps/triceps, three sets per exercise, 6-12 reps
* three exercises for calfs, three sets per exercise, 15-25 reps

Through his college courses, personal research, and trial and error, Kohler says he learned about the kind of a diet a bodybuilder, be it competitive or recreational, should follow. “We hear it all the time, but it really is true, high protein, moderate carbs, low fat, eat every couple of hours. It’s sound simple, and it is, and it works.” He recommends the working man packs his day time meals in containers the night before to keep on a regular eating schedule. “If you eat every two to three hours you derive a couple of benefits,” explains Kohler. “First, you condition your metabolism to be more efficient. You also take in more protein overall on a daily basis which contributes to muscle growth , quickens recovery and has a thermo effect on the body in that you burn more calories. In addition when you eat like this you tend to eat smaller meals which keeps your weight under control. Try it, and you’ll probably be surprised how much more energy you feel then eating the standard three mid to large sized meals a day.”

Kohler bases his diet throughout the year around a staple of foods, which include protein sources of egg whites, chicken breasts, whey protein shakes, tuna, salmon, lean steak, and low-fat turkey patties. Carbohydrates in his diet come primarily from sweet potatoes (a slower digesting carb, says Kohler, which provides a longer sustained energy source), whole grain cereals, brown rice and oatmeal. He also supplements his diet with small daily doses of glutamine (for muscle recovery) and eats a green vegetable and piece of fruit at least once daily. “Balance and clean wholesome goods are the key to a good bodybuilding diet. Once you get in the habit of eating this way you won’t want to go back.”

Kohler’s Recommended Diet for The Career Professional to Build Muscle and Stay Lean

Meal 1) 5 egg whites, cup of oatmeal, piece of fruit
Meal 2) Can of tuna, two slices of whole meat with organic peanut butter
Meal 3) chicken breast, brown rice, broccoli
Meal 4) (Pre-Workout) Whey Protein Shake, one slice whole wheat bread
Meal 5) Lean Steak, sweet potato, salad with green leafy vegetable, tomatoes, avocados, low-fat dressing.

* mix and match foods are okay; substitute salmon sometimes for steak

Kohler stresses that the benefits of the hard work in the gym and clean eating is enhanced by a positive mental outlook. Channeling your mental energy in the right direction can ultimately be the difference between achieving your goals and coming up short. Your mind truly is one of your most powerful assets. “Belief in yourself,” says Kohler. “Take a positive outlook to your training experience. Then put in the work. When you reach an obstacle, work to overcome by achieving your goal in small steps. Passion can count for a lot.” Indeed, James Kohler brings passion with him every time he steps into a gym or talks about bodybuilding.

c) copyright 2007 Howard Feintuch Enterprises, Inc.

* James Kohler is the feature subject of the Musculargalore.com bodybuilding training DVD “Sculpted by Choice”.

* Photos by Richard Rossan

Top - Silvio Samuel
Bottom - Toney Freeman

Pasadena, California - February 2007

Toney Freeman is flexing his biceps at the pre-judging for the 2007 Iron Man Pro, the muscle on display a bulging, defined, vascular mass that rises to a distinctive peak and drops ever so elegantly in a symmetric unison, a stunning visual testament to one man‘s years of dedication to building his physique via countless hours of sweat and grit under the iron. His entire physique is an impressive mix of mass, symmetry and definition, and he has the aura of a superstar on the stage. Next to Freeman is Spanish pro Silvio Samuel, several inches smaller in stature then “X-Man“ Freeman, but equally impressive. Freeman and Samuel are clearly the crowd favorites, and both have vocal supporters. Whenever they strike a pose their names alternately resonate throughout the auditorium. When the men switch to the most muscular pose, Silvio’s upper body muscles look so full that they seem literally ready to burst through his skin.

“Go Silvio, for Espana!“ bellows someone in the first few rows with a distinctively European accent. “Show them how it‘s done, T,” counters another man a few seats away with a gruff American voice. The next bodybuilder to step forward is Joel Stubbs, who I have never seen before. He instantly becomes my personal favorite for the show. The 6’3” Bahamian is a mass monster, displaying the kind of freaky upper body muscles that inspired me to begin lifting weights. From the beginning, I’ve always been partial to the mass monsters. Stubbs’ back, when in full lat spread, is the thickest that I have ever seen in person or pictures for that matter.

Before the 2007 Iron Man I hadn’t attended a bodybuilding show in 15 years, not since I was a high school student in Maryland first taking an interest in the sport. I instantly recalled how much I enjoyed these events and wondered why I hadn’t been to one since. It is an impressive sight and the ultimate motivation to witness a bodybuilding show. Looking at pictures or watching a contest video just doesn’t compare to the live experience observing the finished result of a determined, dedicated, talented, and driven bodybuilder who has achieved the best shape of his life and has the gusto to step on a competitive stage.

Every year my father used to take me to the Mr. Maryland shows when I was a teenager. He’d sit with me through the entire pre-judging, afternoon seminars, and evening show, knowing I didn’t want to miss a minute of the events, and wholeheartedly supporting my new interest despite having no involvement in bodybuilding himself. Attending these annual shows I got to see a then unknown Kevin Levrone win the Mr. Maryland, meet my favorite bodybuilder during my teens Mike Mattrazzo after attending an informative seminar he gave, and see early ’90s superstar Eddie Robinson guest pose.

My father filled our basement with all the essential equipment: a squat rack, an adjustable flat/incline bench, adjustable dumbbells, mounds of plates, and a lat pulldown machine and always bought me all the bodybuilding magazines every month on the day they came out. He saw bodybuilding as a constructive way for a teenage boy to spend his spare time. Seeing these early shows ignited a passion for the bodybuilding credo of hard training and healthy eating that remains a positive focal point of my life a decade later. The discipline, focus and work ethnic I learned from the fundamental principles of bodybuilding training and diet are qualities that have transferred to achieving goals in the business world. So, I was very excited to attend my first pro show after so many years. Forget about other sports. This was “my” world series or super bowl.

The pre-judging ended too quickly, the ninety minutes blazing by. The evening show, scheduled for 7 pm, promised to be interesting. The crowd, mostly hardcore fans who knew their sport, buzzed with predictions as the bodybuilders filed off stage. Freeman and Samuel seemed to be the general favorites to battle for the top spot. Like myself, a lot of the audience was impressed by newcomer Joel Stubbs and expected him to finish high, definitely within the top five to earn his first Mr. Olympia qualification. David Henry also garnered a lot of praise too with his excellent conditioning and poised presence. He would be a contender if he maintained his present condition through the finals.

After the pre-judging I headed to the convention center to check out the Iron Man Expo show booths. There were a number of famous bodybuilding personalities in attendance. I spotted Flex Wheeler, Chris Cormier, Charles Glass and David Henry on the floor, among others. Shawn Ray was the first familiar face I saw signing at a booth. His competitive days behind him, the former perennial Mr. Olympia contender is now focused on promoting shows. His upcoming event the Shawn Ray Colorado Pro/Am Classic features an IFBB bodybuilding and Pro Figure content, as well as a strength and fitness expo in conjunction. Across the room from Shawn was German favorite, Gunter Schlierkamp. Taller than most of his peers, with ridiculously thick arms and shoulders, tank-top clad Gunter mentioned he was taking a break from competition for a while and would not be competing at the upcoming Mr. Olympia contest. His recent work in the mainstream movie “Beer Fest” had kindled a desire to pursue further acting opportunities. However, Gunter emphasized that he is not retiring and doesn’t rule out a return to the competitive stage in the very near future. Another autograph signer at the show was 23 year old James “Flex” Lewis, who won the light heavyweight class at the 2006 British Championship. The Welsh bodybuilder’s goal in 2007 is to obtain his pro card. Personable and outgoing, “Flex” Lewis received his first dose of press celebrity recently in the bodybuilding magazines and is being touted as a star on the rise. Lewis said that he thrives on intense, heavy training and enjoys the experience of meeting fans at the expo, one of the first such events at which did a signing. Expect to hear more from this young bodybuilder in the coming year.

The Gaspari Nutrition NPC Iron Man Figure Event Competition got under way early in the afternoon and attracted a large crowd to the exhibit hall’s main stage area. I eagerly headed in the opposite direction of the masses to a downstairs conference room to attend a seminar by eight-time Ms. Olympia Lenda Murray. This was the first of four consecutive seminars by pro bodybuilders to be held in the same room. Lenda was followed by Eryk Bui, Gunter Schlierkamp, and Johnnie O. Jackson. The atmosphere was ideal with a moderate sized room, an enthusiastic audience, and ample time for everyone’s questions to be answered from everything to training to diet to day-to-day living activities. All four seminars were excellent with personable, easy-going hosts who provided a wealth of training tips and greeted fans afterwards for pictures, autographs and handshakes. If you’ve never been to a pro bodybuilder’s seminar you are missing out. You learn so much in an hour.

Lenda, looking fit and fabulous in her retired state, talked about her continuing passion for training. “I still workout several times a week with weights and do cardio with routines similar to my competitive days because training is something I love,” she said. “Bodybuilding workouts will always be a part of my life.” She touched on the changes in women’s bodybuilding since her reign as Ms. Olympia as well. “Nowadays they are telling women to tone down the muscle, not train as hard. For me, I wouldn’t want to do that. I like training hard, lifting heavy, and building muscle. I believe a woman can be muscular and feminine at the same.” Indeed, Lenda was and still is the embodiment of that philosophy.

Eryk Bui placed a special emphasis on discussing proper exercise techniques for maximizing muscle gain. He not only explained it in words but also physically demonstrated the ideal movement for such popular exercises as the squat and barbell curl. “For squats, you should not go below parallel depth in order to maximize the effect on your thighs. When you go below parallel you start bringing your hips into the movement and that’s what leads a lot of people to have joint problems over the long run. Squats are one of the best exercises for stimulating overall growth when done right,” explained Bui. “When you train biceps,” he continued, “the key is to make sure you completely isolate the actual muscle that you are supposed to be working.” Bui demonstrated the barbell curl, minus an actual barbell, explaining to the audience to start with the elbows slightly forward and to curl all the way up and squeeze, as opposed to keeping the arms locked against your sides which only half emphasizes the muscle, he said. I tried his tip during my next bicep workout and I really felt the difference in terms of burn and pump. I was sore for the first time in years the day after a bicep workout.

Gunter’s seminar focused on the lifestyle balance required to be a successful professional bodybuilding competitor and businessman at the same time. “Last year I did seminars almost every weekend. It was definitely a challenge to maintain my workout program with all the traveling and prepare properly for competition. I found that it is essential to listen to my body and know when to take a day off.” Gunter also shared his personal philosophy for maintaining a healthy immune system when you have a hectic lifestyle and interact with a variety of different people on a daily basis. “I am a big believer in vitamins,” said the German muscle man. “I have an extensive regimen of daily vitamin supplements that I take and I firmly believe that this is why I rarely get ill.”

Johnnie O. Jackson’s seminar had the central theme of how he utilizes heavy power movement to build mass. “The basics, like bench, squat, and deadlift, really are the foundation for building a big, powerful physique,“ said Jackson. “I encourage every bodybuilder looking to increase mass to include them in their regular program.” Jackson, who bulks up to 270 in the off-season and then leans down to 240 for competition, surprised quite a few people in the audience when he revealed that he does no cardio until he is actively preparing for a contest. “I like to eat,” laughed Jackson, “and I do a lot of it in the off-season. Steak is my favorite. Salmon is good too. Dieting for a show is very taxing on the body. You need the off-season to recover. You can’t restrict calories year round and expect to maximize mass gain.”

The finals of the Iron Man Pro rounded out Saturday’s events. All twenty-five competitors presented their posing routines. Silvio Samuels, now free to hit the poses of his choosing at will, remained a crowd favorite. Every time he hit a pose, no matter it was, the muscles seemed to be swelling further; the audience cheered loudly in delight. Freeman too had maintained his excellent condition from that morning. It seemed a toss-up to who would win the show.

Soon after the last routine, the top ten contenders were announced. Featured were all the crowd favorites, including Samuel, Freeman, Stubbs and Henry. What’s a bodybuilding competition without some drama and displeasure with the judges, though? Well, we were about to get that in spades. When Stubbs, the most physically imposing man on stage, was announced tenth there were a few scattered boos. The crowd wasn’t pleased either when David Henry was announced sixth, missing a Mr. Olympia qualification by one spot. Henry shook his head slightly, rightfully disappointed, but smiled like a true professional and headed off stage to leave the final five. The biggest boos came, however, when Silvio Samuel got fourth. Most of the electricity in the crowd was gone in an instant as it had previously seemed a given that Freeman and Samuel would be battling for the top honor. Booing continued right through the announcement that Freeman had won. As the crowd filed out there was one light bit of drama to end the night.

MC Lonnie Teper invited Freeman to share a few words about his victory. As the X-man expressed humble gratitude for the win, an obnoxious, perhaps intoxicated, fan in the upper deck of the theatre began maniacally screaming “Silvio” repeatedly in a obvious attempt to take attention away from the winner. Freeman, a class act, took it all in stride with a smile. “I like Silvio too,” he said. “Someone get that guy his medication,” said MC Teper lightheartedly, causing the temporary awkwardness of the moment to evaporate.

I had an incredible experience at the Iron Man events. I plan on attending a lot more bodybuilding shows in the coming year and making the four drive from L.A. to the Mr. Olympia in Las Vegas come September.

C)2007 Howard Feintuch Enterprises, Inc., all rights reserved