Beyond Failure Training (BFT) a.k.a. Demon Training

[Matt Cena]

Beyond Failure Training

It seems every day someone comes along with a new and improved system of weight training scientifically designed to stimulate the muscle fibers unlike any other program ever could. I am so amazed that people are that stupid as to buy into this bullshit. The magazines don't help matters either. One month you read a fake training article on how your bodybuilding hero built his biceps (hopefully you realize all these articles are ghostwritten) the next month you get another routine from another pro that is even better. Those of you who save your magazines need only go back and glance at the last few years of your collection to realize that it is all the same **** with minor changes. Let's face it, a truly informative magazine that had unique articles each month would be about 25 pages max, so the editors feel compelled to go for quantity instead of quality.

To me, when it comes to reading an article that is talking about a new system of training or nutrition or steroid use, a general rule of thumb to follow is that if the article is layered with a lot of big, scientific terminology, then crumple it up and save it for the next time you run out of toilet paper. A good writer or teacher has the ability to speak to all facets of society at the same time and a really good writer has the ability to use very simple terms and examples to explain highly technical concepts and theories. A bullshit artist, on the other hand, likes to use these big words in an effort to confuse and baffle as many people as possible because people tend to give credibility to people who use big words.

Let's give a quick example: Upon grasping the cylindrical carbohydrate, fat and protein source, the organism used it?s copious muscles of mastication along with sufficient temporal mandibular locomotion to activate the digestive enzymes and begin the process of nutrient absorption which was to take place in the mucus lined acid pouch within the bowels of the creature.
That's a bullshitter's way of saying the following: "The guy picked up a cheeseburger and took a big bite, chewed it up and swallowed it".

Keeping this in mind, I would like to explain a little bit about the way I train and how it might benefit you in your gym efforts. I call it beyond failure training, because the general rule of thumb is that when the body fails, the set just begins, and it is this philosophy that will cut through all the bull**** of slow twitch, fast twitch, rep speed, training for size, training for strength nonsense that people like to write about.

First and foremost it is imperative to understand that the body is capable of a lot more than we tend to give it credit for. Somewhere along the line in the past few years people have been screaming OVERTRAINING to the point of making me want to vomit. Mike Mentzer's original heavy duty theories were rather unique and quite sound, but since the release of Heavy Duty 2, the theories have been in outer ****ing space. Training a bodypart once every 14 days!!? Give me a break. The body is capable of handling huge amounts of stress and it is true that it needs adequate time to recover, but 14 days is a bit extreme.

Past failure training is very simple and very self-explanatory and few people will ever do it because it hurts just too damn much. Sooner or later one of the four demons comes along and claims another victim who attempts to travel down the path of Past Failure training. It is not fun, it is uncomfortable, it causes pre-workout anxiety and fear, AND IT PRODUCES MASSIVE RESULTS. The number one element that must be present in past failure training is 1000% Maximal Effort. No being a *****, no laughing and conversing during or between the sets. It's **** or walk time! The other thing that is a necessity is a training partner and a one that knows how to spot CORRECTLY (sometimes I think I should offer a ****ing seminar on how to be a good spotter because every time I ask for one at the gym I invariably get a ****ing moron.)

Past Failure training demands that when you are doing a set, as you begin to go to failure, where you cannot complete a full range of motion on your own and you are at momentary failure, your training partner assists you in completing an addition number of repetitions with the same weight (say 6-8) before you are allowed to stop. At this point you are in total agony and are pumped beyond belief and whimpering like a little girl who lost her dolly, yet it is not over yet! Your partner immediately drops the weight down around 40% and you continue with the set until you cannot get any more reps. Your partner again assists you to get and additional number of reps until you are fried. Then once again your partner drops the weight so you can continue your journey into no-mans land and once you begin to fail he again assists you in getting additional reps. Then and only then is your set complete. You are in tremendous pain, you are nauseous and dizzy and you want to go home. You feel like you cannot go on, and this is only after 60 seconds of work, yet the workout has just begun....
Next time we will delve deeper into this level of intensity and training and give examples of how one would train each bodypart using this style of training.

[Matt Cena]

Beyond Failure Training Part 2

By Trevor L. Smith
O.k. let's get right into it and pick up where we last left off. Remember this is a rather different way of training and even for people that are used to training in an intense manner it will be a shock to the system as there is intensity and then there is I N T E N S I T Y
Now some of the basic rules of thumb with this style of training are:

1.You will tend to need an hour or so to recover from the workout so that you can perform daily functions.
2.You cannot train in this manner for more than 6 weeks if you are doing it properly
3.You can only train once a day for a maximum of 4 times per week.
4.You can only spend a maximum of 45 minutes in the gym per session
5. It is EXTREMELY painful and you will tend to have anxiety before your workouts
6. You must keep all other physical activities to a bare minimum during your 6-week training cycle to insure maximum recovery and energy available for the workouts

t is important that you adhere to these basic rules as they will go a long way to insure that you stay on the path and do not monkey wrench all of your hard efforts in the gym. O.K. now that we have the basic principles of Beyond Failure training, let?s take a look at what a typical leg workout might look like Starting on the leg extension machine and after warming up thoroughly, select a weight that will allow you to get 10-12 clean reps on your own before you would typically fail and end the set.

Begin performing the extensions in a steady manner (1 second up and 1 second down is a good example). Once you start to go to failure, your partner will assist you in completing an additional 8 repetitions past your failure point. At this point it feels like someone is blowtorching your quads. Your partner immediately lowers the weight by around 30-40% and you continue performing repetitions until you once again achieve failure by yourself. Again your partner assists you in completing and additional 6-8 reps and then immediately lowers the stack by an additional 30-40% and you continue performing repetitions until failure at which time you partner once again assists in you completing an additional 8 reps.

FINALLY, the set it over. You may tend to feel nausea and will definitely have trouble standing, but even more trouble sitting as this is doubly as painful. The first set is always the easy part because you have nothing to compare it to and you will find your anxiety levels building when you are about to start your second set of leg extensions. Repeat the exact same procedure as the first set. At the completion of the second set of Beyond Failure leg extensions you will more than likely be ready to call it a day after a total of 10-15 minutes of gym time, BUT it is not over yet.

Next choose a pressing movement for the legs such as squats, leg presses or hack squats. Load up the bar with enough weight that will insure you get 8-10 reps. Have your partner VERY close by to insure a safe spot and perform your set. As you get to failure have your partner assist in you getting only a few reps beyond failure?.say 5 or 6 and call it a day. That is it for the quads. Next it is on to hamstrings which I can guarantee you have no desire to work.

You will only perform 2 sets of leg curls and you will follow the same principles as you did during the leg extensions. However, you have to pay attention to your body and it is quite possible that after one set of leg curls you will be totally fried and have nothing left. This is because the quads are SO pumped and engorged that it is very painful to perform a curling motion with the legs. At this point crawl your ass out of the gym and try not to puke, but if you have to?.let it fly. That?s all she wrote for your leg workout. If you have anything left, you did not train properly. I can guarantee after following these principles your bottle will jump to new levels of growth. Remember if you are going to be in the Venice area and need clarification on these training principles I am occasionally available to put people through my style of training so they can go home with the proper intensity and techniques. Next time we shall take a look at Chest and Calves.

[Matt Cena]

Beyond Failure training Part 3

O.K. Let's hop right into a Beyond Failure Workout (a.k.a. Demon Training) for the chest and the calves
Now it is important that you first understand the problems that can occur while training certain muscle groups. In this case wewill be talking about the pecs so let's get right to it. How many times have you noticed that people rarely have both great arms and shoulders AND a superb chest? Conversely, how many times have you noticed someone with a great chest that had great shoulders and arms? There are lots of pros out there that come to mind with this strange phenomenon. Dorian and Lee Haney both had superb upper torsos( back and chest) but left a little tobedesired in the arms and even the shoulders department to some extent. Gary Strydom had a great pair of delts and a greatset of pecs, but sub-par arms. Guys like Dennis Newman have very poor pecs and over-powering delts. Now genetics play a large part in this to a certain extent, but the thing I have discovered about BEYOND FAILURE TRAINING (Demon Training) is that is cuts through all the genetic predisposition?s because it completely annihilates the muscle group worked and does not allow for any one group to over compensate for the other.

If you have over powering shoulders, they are going to do the bulk of the work every time you do a pressing movement for chest. Likewise if you have great triceps, they will get most of the work. The problem is when they give out during a set, you can no longer continue to give the stimulation necessary for the pecs to grow. This is where Arthur Jones comes in. One of the things Arthur was a big believer in was pre-exhaustion and it is also used extensively with Beyond Failure Training. We shall then start our workout with a set of machine flys. Personally I find the Flex pec dec machine to be the best, but whatever is available will be fine. Now I do not recommend using dumbbell flys with this, as your wrist, elbow and shoulder JOINTS will tend to give out before the muscle is thoroughly trashed.

Following the same principles as the leg workout, we start with a pre-exhausting set on the pec-dec machine with a partner right there to offer assistance. Now use a weight that allows 10-12 reps and once you hit that point and cannot complete another rep (in other words when you have hit failure) the set is only beginning and it is time to go BEYOND failure. Just like with legs have your partner or spotter assist you to get 8 more reps. Once the screaming has stopped, you will drop the weight by 30-40% and continue with the set(get as many as you can on your own;usually no more than 3-5 reps) then your partner will again assist you to get between 6-8 reps. Then, even though you are numb, drop the weight another 30-40% and continue with the set having your partner assist you to go beyond failure once you
can no longer get a full rep on your own. Then you are finished. After you are done crying, rest a few minutes and complete another set in the same manner.

Then you move on to a pressing movement..oh, let's say incline barbell presses. (Now, I like to use the Smith machine because it is a lot easier to work with when doing this type of training.) We are going to do one hellacious set of incline presses in the same manner as above; when failure is achieved, the set just begins and your spotter will help you go past the pain barrier and into the torture zone. Now your chest should feel like you just had a set of 44-DDD implants put in. In other words, they should be hurting and pumped beyond belief. That is it, you are done with chest and it is time to move on to calves, another muscle group that people don't train properly, mostly because they are afraid to feel the pain.

Now the thing you have to remember about calves is that they are incredibly strong muscles. Think about it, if you weigh 250 pounds or even 300lbs, the calf muscles have to be able to support that entire weight by themselves. In fact each individual calf muscle must be able to support that weight and does in fact do so with great ease. Now once you start running or jumping, the force that is exhibited on the calves is many times greater than just your body-weight and still they manage to do their job. If you doubt this, just ask yourselves how many fat, obese people you have seen with awesome calves? My guess would be many. In fact, the biggest and best calves I have ever seen were on a ****ing massively obese guy who was in line in front of me at the grocery store. The reason for that is because the calf muscles on that whale HAD to respond to his massive weight and grow, otherwise he would not be able to walk. He
was putting them through a vicious workout each time he stepped towards the refrigerator to get another box of fudge-sticks.

Now if you want to have great calves you have to subject them to the same type of torture and doing 3 sets of 10 on the donkey calf machine ain't gonna cut it. You have to destroy them with beyond failure training. So let's move on to 2 sets of say seated calf raises. Load the machine up with enough weight were you will fail on say the 10th or 12th reps; then you will have your partner repeat the same procedure as with legs and chest. Go Beyond Failure and then drop the weight and go Beyond Failure again, THEN when you have had enough pain, drop the weight and GO BEYOND FAILURE AGAIN.

I call this DEMON TRAINING, because during the course of each session you will invariably be faced with each of the FOUR DEMONS. It is up to you whether you face them with courage, or use the ***** crutch of "Over-training" or some other excuse to convince yourself not to push so hard and enter into the torture
zone with each training session. If you are one of those types, go type in the address of anyone of the dozens of other bodybuilding sites as 99.9% of them all suck and are for ***** wannabes..
Next time we look at shoulders and triceps..

[Matt Cena]

eyond Failure Training Part 4

By Trevor L. Smith
Now that the chest and calves have been thoroughly trashed we have to realize that the complimentary muscle groups-(delts and tris) have also received a good amount of work. For this reason, it is important to finish them off within 24 hours of chest so that you get optimum recovery time for the muscle groups. The logic is quite simple. If you spread out chest shoulders and delts throughout the week you wind up screwing yourself in terms of recovery time and they quickly become over-trained.

Every time you work chest, you are hitting delts and tris and vice versa, so in a perfect world you would hit everything together on the same day, but it is just not physically possible with Beyond Failure training and if you are one of these idiots that thinks you are tougher than everyone else and can do it, go right ahead and enjoy your have ass shoulder and triceps workout, because if you REALLY hit chest properly, you won't be able to lift your arms let alone do any specific work for shoulders and triceps. Now on to the training:

Following the same principles as above we want to completely trash the deltoids so that when we go to a pressing movement, the triceps don't give out first and leave us with understimulated shoulders. To accomplish this we will do single arm cable or machine laterals. Again, you will pick a weight that will allow you to fail on your own at rep 8 or 10. At this point your trusty partner assist you through an additional 8 reps by grabbing by your wrist and going through the movement with you. At this point we again drop the weight and continue the same cycle and when your post failure 8 reps are done you do yet another drop and repeat the cycle. Do 2 sets in this fashion. Then move over to front presses on the smith machine.

Your delts should be thoroughly hammered so I only suggest one set here. Again follow the same principles as above. Hit 8 reps on your own and have your partner assist you to get more (I cannot be specific with the rep range here because it is difficult to spot on this exercise if the weight is heavy. It would be great to have 2 people spot you here because they could each get one side of the machine and assist for an additional 8 reps and then strip the weight for you...but that is often a difficult task...I have a hard time getting one person to spot me correctly. One of these days I am going to find a reliable training partner that isn't a *****, but that day has yet to come.)

At any rate, after the 8 reps past failure are complete, strip and continue to failure, then 6-8 more..then strip again, continue to failure and then 8 more and you should be dead. That's it for shoulders. The triceps are next and here I suggest no more than 2 sets of a machine exercise (for ease in spotting) in the same fashion as above; once failure is hit, you get assistance for 8 more beyond failure, then drop the weight, repeat, then drop the weight again and repeat.

At this point your delts and tris are done. GO HOME. Now before you even ask, NO you don't have to hit rear delts, because you already did. Beyond Failure training causes the ENTIRE muscle group that is being worked (and a lot of others as well) to be brought into the mix and thoroughly destroyed. No more specific muscle group targeting. If you really and truly hit the entire muscle group as hard as humanly possible, to the point of nausea and collapse, every part of that muscle will be worked....trust me.

The body likes to work as a unit and that goes for each muscle group as well. Pointing your toes inward or outward on leg extensions is ****ing nonsense. Once you go into the no-mans land of Beyond Failure Training every fiber in your leg is screaming in agony and working equally as hard to fight through the torture it is receiving. Do you really thing that the teardrops will only be working if your toes are pointed out? Please, once failure starts on the teardrops the outer quads pick up the slack because they are FORCED to, no matter where your toes are pointing. Keep it simple: Pick an exercise, take it to a level of complete, absolute and beyond failure and I guarantee it will be completely stimulated!

Next time we finish the body with back and bis and talk about potential problems that may be encountered with Beyond Failure Training. (http://tnation.tmuscle.com/reportPostPrep.do;jsessionid=252D3727E2D2FBADC51A1 B6986963282-hg.hydra?id=2216354)

[Sandpig]

Nice stuff Matt.
I knew Trevor, although I never trained with him . Guy was a beast.

[Matt Cena]

Beyond Failure Training Part 5...The Conclusion

O.K. now it is time to blast the back and biceps. It is imperative that these two muscle groups are worked together because they are intrinsically linked to each other in their function. Any time you are doing any pulling or rowing movement for the back you ALWAYS incorporate the biceps. The reason is quite obvious since you need to use your arms to pull and the biceps is what allow the arm to pull. I get a lot of complaints from people with stubborn biceps and as soon as I take a look at their training, the answer jumps right out at me. Incorrect training sequence, and insufficient intensity. They will work their biceps on separate days from their back training and inadvertently wind up overtraining them because of lack of adequate recovery.
Conversely I get a lot of complaints from people who cannot stimulate their back and when you see the size of their biceps you immediately find the answer. Huge biceps will often take on the burden of the workload when training back and since they are a lot smaller muscle group?.they will give out and reach failure way before the back does. This results in overstimulation of the biceps and understimulation of the back. Both of these problems are solved with beyond failure training.
Starting off with the larger muscle group (the back) we will need to find a way to sufficiently trash and pre-exhaust the back so that when we go to a rowing and pulling movement the back will fail at the same time as the biceps. Now the only way we can achieve pre-exhaustion of the back without including the biceps would be with a pullover machine (or dumbbell pullovers?but the machine is better)
So sitting in the pullover machine with a reverse grip (palms facing up so as to take the triceps out of the movement) we will keep out head and chest pointing up towards the ceiling at all times to totally isolate the back. As with the other bodyparts, we will select a weight that allows us to hit failure at the 8-10 rep mark. At this point your partner will assist you in getting 8 more beyond failure reps. Then the weight is dropped and you continue the set without rest. Once you hit failure---which will be in 3-5 reps?your partner assists for 6 more beyond failure reps. Again the weight is drop and the set is continued and once you hit failure your partner pushes you to get 8 more reps beyond failure. Do this for 2 sets
Next you want to go to a rowing movement. Single arm dumbbell rows or barbell rows are good. Select a weight that will allow you to get 8-10 strict perfect reps. Only do one set here. These are what I call high breather exercises and I find that it is counterproductive to do drop sets and forced reps with these exercises because you wind up sucking wind way before you actually stimulate the muscle.
Next go to a machine movement for the back?some sort of pull down movement. I like some of the hammer machines, but it doesn?t matter. Again we will do 2 sets in the beyond failure style.
That is it for back. Now we move on to biceps, which are, pretty much fried from the back workout. Because of this we will only need 2 sets in beyond failure style to completely destroy them. Machine curls work best here so select a weight where you can get 8-10 and perform the set in beyond failure style with the drop sets and forced reps as you did for back.
At this point your back should be engorged, tight and pumped and you should have difficulty straightening your arms. A job well done. Go home and rest and enjoy your well-earned 2 days off.
So to review, the sequence would look like this
Day 1: Chest and Calves
Day 2: Shoulders and Tris
Day 3: Off
Day 4: Back and Bis
Day 5: Legs
Day 6: Off
Day 7: Off

Now some of the things you want to keep in mind with this type of training is that due to its intense nature, it is imperative that you have adequate nutrients in the system at all times. You need to make sure you are getting 2-2.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight each day along with 2 ? 3 grams of carbs depending on your metabolism (if you are carb sensitive cut it back to 1.5-2 grams and compensate the calories with extra protein. Fats should be minimal 40 grams or under.
Rest is highly important when training in this manner, so make sure you are getting at least 7 hours of straight sleep a night along with a good hour nap at some point in the day or evening. If this is not feasible..try and get 8-9 hours of sleep per night. Lastly you will find that after 6 (8 weeks max) that you will start to get burned out training this way. At this point simply scale back the number of sets and triple drop beyond failure reps. When I trained Robbie for the Master?s Olympia he did not touch a weight the week before the show and the 2 weeks prior his workouts were scaled back to 1-2 sets total. His workouts typically lasted 15-20 minutes at this point, but it was necessary to make sure he wasn?t going to go catabolic. Now if you are not coming into a show?.train in this scaled back manner for 3 weeks?.cut back on the protein and carbs because you will not need them and try and get extra rest, maybe even a massage or 2 or sitting in a Jacuzzi hot tub.
In closing I would like to make it perfectly clear that I do not think Beyond Failure training is the only way in the world that one should train. There are many paths up the mountain?some are more painful, yet more productive and some are less painful and take a little longer. It is your choice. The difficulty most people will have in attempting to train in this style is generating sufficient intensity to make sure they are actually going beyond failure, and trusting that the system will work and fighting the urge to train more (i.e. 6 days per week) All I can say is that I took a 54 year old man who was burned out and washed up and transformed his physique into it?s all time best condition?.and it was done with beyond failure training. When Robbie stepped on stage at the Master?s Olympia it was clear that he won. They may not have given him the title (and in fact insulted him by placing him behind a clinical dwarf) but he knew he won and so did Vince Taylor. Look at the pictures in this month?s Flex and read between the lines in J.R. Rosenthal?s report. Robbie Robinson shocked the world that day and was the rightful winner of that show and it was all because of Beyond Failure Training. Train harder then the next guy, and one day nobody will touch you!

[Matt Cena]

Nice stuff Matt.
I knew Trevor, although I never trained with him . Guy was a beast.

I had seen him in Gold's Venice when I worked there but never actually got to know him, I truly wish I had. His philosophies have greatly influence my training and outlook towards the sport as a whole.
He truly was a beast and from what I hear an incredibly caring individual. Rest In Peace Trevor 6/24/70-3/9/04

[Matt Cena]

I have a lot more information to post and will do so tomorrow. Trevor's knowledge and writings has greatly influenced me.

[norway power]

I remember you posting this before over on MD, the pics that you posted were crazy.

[Marduk The UnREPable]

Great thread . RIP Trevor.

[Matt Cena]

Beyond Failure Training Intensity tips? Zero Momentum reps
By Trevor Smith

Ask anybody who has ever lifted weights for an appreciable time period and they will all agree that the most common question asked by the average person on the street is?."Hey?how much can you bench?"
I hate this question. I mean what does it have to do with the price of tea in China anyway? As if the average person will even know whether or not the numbers you tell them mean you are strong or not. Strength is a relative thing and so whenever I get asked this question, my stock reply is usually something along the lines of "A bit more than your average housewife and a lot less than your average Gorilla"
O.K. so where am I going with this? Actually, I am using this example to try and have you understand that weight is not all important and nor is it the only way to increase the severity and intensity of a set even with something as severe and intense as Beyond Failure Training. Let's face it, we have all seen guys in the gym cranking out reps as fast as they can and making a weight literally fly off their bodies. What I am going to suggest is that by taking a weight you could seemingly "toy with" for 15-20 reps and altering the style the reps are performed in, you will increase the intensity 10 fold and cut the number of reps you can perform down to 3-4. Together this will yield both bigger and eventually stronger muscles because you will eliminate sticking points and will not have to rely on momentum to get past them. Let's use the Bench Press as our exercise of choice for the purposes of example and explanation of Zero Momentum Reps.
The Bench Press is a movement that pretty much has universal sticking points for anyone that performs it. The first quarter of the movement is the most difficult because the pectoral muscles are forced to work almost exclusively until the triceps and deltoids are able to be of assistance in the last half of the movement. Now if one can get past this rather short sticking point, one can effectively incorporate assistance muscle groups like the triceps and the deltoids sooner and thus handle more weight. Now if you are a powerlifter, this is exactly what you are looking to accomplish. If you are a bodybuilder, this is not necessarily the case. Why? Because as bodybuilders, we want the bench-press to completely trash our pectorals and stimulate maximum muscle growth in that area. Now in order to get past this said sticking point and move heavier and heavier weight, explosive power and thrust is developed. Maximum exertion as quickly as possible is the name of the game. (It is this maximum exertion incidentally, that causes pectoral tendons to rupture and explode. If you successfully master the use of Zero Momentum Reps with your pressing movements, it will be impossible for you to tear muscles and or tendons.)

What is being proposed here is that you completely eliminate this explosion and thrust and make a steady, slow and controlled movement for the first quarter part of the exercise. This is the most difficult part of the Bench Press and rather then look to BI-pass it, I am suggesting that one will benefit greatly by savoring every single solitary millimeter of this part of the exercise.And this is how one would do this:
ZMR's (zero momentum reps) will begin with the person slowly lowering the weight down to the chest in a deliberate and controlled manner that takes approximately 2-3 seconds. Once at the bottom part of the movement, the participant should make an effort to exaggerate the stretch and have the hands go below chest level. Once there, the participant will hold for a count of three. It is at this point that the positive portion of the rep will begin. Now this gets tricky to describe without having seen it performed, but one must fight the tendency to "toss" the weight up and literally move the weight as slowly and as little as possible so that the first quarter of the movement takes 1.5-2 seconds. Once the first quarter of the rep is complete, you accelerate the pace and complete the rest of the movement where you once again will pause, this time at the top part of the movement. In this position, one should consciously cramp and squeeze the pectoral muscles together as if one were trying to hold a 5 pound plate between their pecs. After this occurs, the set continues, again with a slow and controlled descent, a pause and exaggerated stretch at the bottom and then a very slow and controlled ascent for the first quarter of the movement. This really is not rocket science, but in terms of muscle growth it will be like discovering plutonium. You will be lucky to get 4-6 reps in this manner and in many cases, 3-4, but if you understand anything about Beyond Failure Training you will know that the sooner you can get the muscle to failure, the sooner you can go Beyond Failure, and the sooner you go Beyond Failure, the sooner the set will be over and the sooner the set is over, the greater the intensity which will yield greater gains!
If you are serious about experiencing extreme intensity, extreme pain and eventually extreme results, give ZMR's a try. You will have to check your ego at the door and get comfortable with the idea of 100-200lbs. less with your bench but having it look and feel 100-200 times more difficult. And for those who think that you will not get strong this way understand this??You are only as strong as your weakest link??.Strengthen the weakest link and you strengthen the entire chain. After a few months you will be back up to the same poundage you were using before, except rather than throwing the weight off your chest to impress the local fitness beauty doing lunges in the corner, you will be taking a slow, solitary and unbearably excruciating dance with the Demon of Pain??.and trust me?he don't give a **** what you can bench.

[Matt Cena]

Beyond Failure Training Intensity Tip:
Extreme Forced Reps (E.M.R's)
By Trevor Smith
One of the key components to Beyond Failure Training TM is the correct understanding and application of assisting your training partner. In other words, you need to be a good training partner. What defines a good training partner? Simply, it is one who is in tune with your set as much as they are with their own set. It requires total focus and attention for you to derive maximal benefits from your set, and minimizing any chance of injury. I wish I had a dollar for every moron I have encountered that initially agrees to give me a spot, then upon my explanation of what I need from them, they get this look of irritation on their face as if I have some nerve expecting them to actually pay attention to me and do a little more than standing there. At one gym, it got to the point that if I asked someone to spot me and they agreed and I then detected the slightest amount of annoyance from them after my explanation (assist with forced reps when I failed and then help me drop the weight and continue), that I would say, "You know what, go away from me, I don't need your help." Okay, my language may have been a bit harsher but I'll leave out the flowery details. It got to the point where it was just easier for me to bring my wife along so that my training time would be shortened (successfully finding a person to spot me could take 15-20 minutes at times).
It is difficult to focus 100% on your set if you are worried about the competence of your spotter or training partner. Assuming you have a competent spotter, I want to discuss the idea of forced reps and how you can transform them into an amazingly powerful Beyond Failure Training TM Intensity Tip. Stacking Z.M.R.'s, (Zero Momentum Reps) with forced reps will allow you to do Extreme Forced Reps (E.F.R.'s). This method will provide a one-two punch that is the training equivalent to a stack of Sustenon 250 and Anadrol.
Have you ever taken the time to really focus on one single, seemingly insignificant, aspect of training? Something everyone in the gym does since the day they first stepped foot in the gym door? It is my experience that if you do this, you open up a world that rarely is ever examined because people foolishly assume that something as simplistic as spotting, requires no thought or detailed attention. Remember, BOREDOM IS A LACK OF PAYING ATTENTION TO DETAIL! A single strand of hair can simply look like just a piece of hair. However, if examined under a microscope, you would marvel at the world unveiled. My point is, that those who look past the surface and go deeper than others will experience and learn things that few ever do. This same thing applies to training and in this case, partner assisted forced reps.
Yes, E.F.R.'s seem mindless enough, "When your partner fails, help him with the weight, so he can get a couple more reps." Nothing could be father from the truth with E.F.R.'s. The premise of E.F.R.'s and how they will change the afore mentioned description to: "When your partner fails, make him suffer miserably and keep him under the weight for as long as humanly possible, only assisting him so you can prolong his suffering, never taking the stress off him, only keeping him going in a positive direction or a static direction?anything but a negative direction, so he can understand and experience a true definition of pain and torture." Sounds rather sadistic I know, but B.F.T.TM is sadistic and the muscle growth it yields is also sadistic!
We are going to make one exception with E.F.R.'s. E.F.R's, for the most part, can only be performed with machines. When you perform them, you will understand why. Safety is a key factor in this exception.
Machine biceps curls will be our example. We will stack E.F.R's with another Beyond Failure Training TM intensity technique that I have already discussed in prior articles: Zero Momentum Reps (Z.M.R.'s).
As you grip the handle (I personally find having the hands closer together is more effective at stimulating the entire biceps) slowly begin performing your reps in a manner that has a pause at the bottom of the movement, a slow and deliberate contraction and a pause at the top of the movement. Continue in this fashion until you hit absolute and complete muscular failure on your own (which should be about 4-6 reps). At this point, as you attempt another rep, you should start to stagnate in the first quarter of the movement. You should not be moving forward, or going backwards, but rather "stuck" in place, struggling with the rep. At this point, your partner will place his or her hands on the handle and with the slightest amount of assistance possible, allow you to minutely move forward in a positive direction until the minimal amount of assistance he or she is giving you no longer allows for positive movement and you are once again "stuck in place". Your partner will, once again, allow you to stay stagnated for a few seconds and as they notice that your body starts to tremble and you are about to start moving backwards in the movement, they will once again offer just enough assistance to get you "un-stuck" and allow you to move a bit more in a positive manner. This "Hell-Zone" will continue until the rep is completed to the top part of the movement. The best part is yet to come, however, as you must complete another 1-2 reps in this same manner to insure absolute destruction of the muscle fibers. At this point, the weight is dropped a substantial amount, and the set is continued without rest. Again, once you hit muscular failure on your own, and only then, your partner will follow the same protocol as above. Again, after the 1-2 E.F.R.'s you will drop the weight a final time and continue with the set (at which time you will be praying for a quick and merciful death).
Once the set is completed close to five minutes should have passed on the clock. 5 minutes of continuous pain and torture. Five minutes of hell that left your biceps with so much blood in them, that they are engorged to the point that you cannot bend your arm and most definitely cannot flex them. If you can do either of these things, you did not do the set right and your partner did not do the E.F.R's correctly. Learn to pay attention to detail, for it will yield infinite possibilities with Beyond Failure TrainingTM, which will afford you many more avenues of muscle growth to travel down. Stay strong, stay focused and suffer well.
(http://forum.animalpak.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=284957)

[Matt Cena]

Beyond Failure Training Intensity Techniques:
Varying Degree Static Compensation Reps
by Trevor L. Smith

The longer I travel the road of my creation or composition that I call B.F.T.(Beyond Failure Training), the more advanced I get, the harder the training gets and the infinity in which lies variations on the theme of creating the ultimate muscle stimulatory and strength engaging set becomes apparent to me.
I have long since surrendered myself to the concept that I create Beyond Failure Training and allowed it to continually create me and itself through me. The reason being is that once you think you achieve mastery of something, anything, you are doomed to self –mediocrity, and self limitation. Although, one’s advancement may be so far along as to make the concept of limiting yourself incomprehensible to someone who is traveling on a lower level of the totem pole, the fact is unless you surrender yourself to a power greater than the limits of your mind and the confines of your body, you will no longer continue bettering yourself and since training is a wonderful methodology to grow internally and externally, you must continually insure that the grazing fields upon which you feed are never fenced off…for you will eventually run out or nourishment.

So, with each training cycle comes another journey, and more self discovery, more knowledge, more enrichment, and more crushing of the ego.

Having just finished filming my initial Beyond Failure Training TM video it is important to note that there are many “things” going on that to the untrained eye appear as just another lift, just another training session. While to someone who has experienced first hand some sessions under my guidance can, at the very least, feel that something is different, that their muscles and entire mental and physical being is saying to them “We’re not in Kansas anymore Toto!”

Thus , bringing us to the title of this article, a discussion of an intensity technique that I use within the constraints of a set of Beyond Failure Training TM, which is linked to additional intensity techniques to weave a web that ultimately leaves you hit by a fucking truck in terms of how your body feels, how your mind feels, how your muscles feel. You may hate it, you may loathe me for putting you through it, you may want to give up, quit, find an easier way, but the entire premise of my training system is to TAKE THE HARDEST PATH (a well thought out, physically safe path…but one that is hardest to go through none the less).

So I am in the middle of putting a client through a set one day, and the idea comes to me that as I am employing strip/drop sets, Extreme Forced Reps, Zero Momentum Reps and making sure hand positioning is specific and intentional, as is the arch in the lower back, the pushing up of the chest and keeping the shoulders firmly planted against the back of the bench, that there are well known concepts of Static and Dynamic movements, but that in between Static and Dynamic are limitless variants and that learning to dance in between these two states of varying degrees of extremes causes one single set for the given body part being trained (in this instance chest and incline bench presses on the Smith Machine) last for what seems like an eternity and can make strip sets feel like the exact opposite…to the point where even at a starting single rep max (after intense pre-exhaustion on an isolation exercise such as flyes or a pec dec or a pec contractor) where my starting weight was-and I know this will be debated and not believed and criticized- 885lbs. (On my particular Smith Machine, this is 9 forty-five pound plates per side as I had cutom machined, solid steel bar extenders added to the standard Olympic bar, which increased the starting weight of the bar from 45 pounds to 75 pounds without any additional plates added) Many of my clients can attest to and complain about how much heavier and harder the machine is due to the heavier starting weight of the bar…but since I am talking about poundage’s that are not readily touched, especially for the purposes of Incline Bench Presses AFTER extensive and severely intense pre-exhaustion on an isolation exercise (in my case a 30 degree pec-contractor machine loaded with a starting weight of 510lbs) the discussion of numbers is not the point and does not readily matter because NOBODY will believe it anyway…even when they see it on my training video (which I could care less).

After the initial single rep was completed-although lack of a third hand spotter prevented me from having the bar rolled forward and latched onto the proper notch as at that poundage, my wrists do not have the ability to “roll” the bar forward and my side spotters were attempting to do this by rolling the weights, which is kind of like a car on a dynometer…rolling yet going nowhere.

I wound up lowering the bar as I could no longer hold it up in the top position after 5 seconds and I let gravity take over which rolled the latches forward two pins down…not the ideal, but the set must go on-and the strips began… initially 3 plates came off, but I was physically shot from the unexpected added intensity of the first rep, so another plate was stripped bringing the weight to 525lbs. which I brought back up to the top position and began lowering in a deliberate manner counting out-loud to the number 5 before reaching the bottom of the movement, where I “held” the bar in place for another 5 second count. After this time period, the rep was initially began in a super slow manner a.k.a. Zero Momentum Reps. After this excruciating rep (which took a total of 12-15 seconds to complete, 2 more plates per side were stripped and the same process began again, except now I took 10 seconds to lower and 10 seconds to hold at the bottom and again the up-rep was done in Zero Momentum style. Now the pain was reaching an entirely new zone for me…especially with not being able to lock the bar up and having to hold it for 5 seconds as my spotters tried in vain to roll the latches forward because their hands were under the plates and they were attempting to roll the plates which just will not work according to the laws of physics no matter what the weight…in fact, the plates will roll like car wheels up on a jack, but that is about it (meanwhile a third hand…even that of a child could have achieved rolling the bar forward and locking the latches on the notch by simply grabbing the center of the bar and rolling it forward without having to bare any of the weight load since I was holding all of it up)

Now I was in this set for over 2 minutes and more torture to come. Another plate per side came off and now 20 seconds was the lower time with an additional 20 seconds at the bottom and another 5 seconds to complete the positive portion of the rep…255 or so pounds never hurt so much. Yet again I called for another plate off…bringing me to 165lbs. At this point 30 seconds was the lower time…30 second hold at the bottom and a struggle of close to 10 seconds to complete this final rep. The pain of that final rep with what, in comparison, is a miniscule amount of weight than what I started with, was hard to comprehend. My body had long since gone numb, my mind was closed off and focusing solely on the new place it arrived in. One where pain takes on a new feeling and not one of soreness, or throbbing, or burning or anything else normally experienced- although normal is not a word to use in the same context as B.F.T. Beyond all that! In fact, I honestly cannot describe it. All I can say is every single fiber that composes my pectoral muscles was spent. A set that starts off heavy, and gets progressive lighter in terms of weight handled, yet somehow feels heavier and harder. It defies logic and commonsense. But the mind is capable of such things and the use of this technique is something that truly tests the mind. Forget the body…the body will have been toasted after the initial rep considering the poundage I used and that it was done AFTER an intense set of pre-exhaust on the 30-degree pec-contractor. One that also started with very heavy weight and got progressively lighter with strips/drops and Extreme Forced Reps and Zero Momentum Reps, but not necessarily easier.
In any sense, my point is that this technique is mind-training exercise. Are you mentally strong enough to endure well past your physical being? If so, say goodbye to sticking points and weak body-parts, because the use of Beyond Failure Training-done correctly-will do just that. And the use of Varying Degree Static Compensation Reps will make you wish you had died, that your mistake was getting out of bed that day.

But, within 48 hours you will look in the mirror and notice a change. It will happen that quickly. Yet you will have put a year’s worth of standard, multi-set theory using bodybuilder’s intensity into a 5 minute time period. I look at the body of muscles as a piece of coal and I look at training as a way of putting pressure on that coal to create a diamond. Standard volume training will create a few sparkles over a year’s time. But I GUARANTEE if you want a freaky, shiny, sparkling diamond in the shortest time possible you have to be willing to create a tremendous amount of pressure in the shortest time period possible. And this is the essence of Beyond Failure Training and its many, many, many and constantly evolving techniques it teaches me, now including what I call Varying Degree Static Compensation Reps. Train hard…stay focused!

[Matt Cena]

Ask Trevor:
Trevor, I am really interested in trying your Beyond Failure Training System, but do not have a partner. Can B.F.T. be done without a training partner?
-Mark Davis, Piscataway, NJ

Yes Mark, B.F.T.(Beyond Failure Training) can be done without the use of a training partner. In fact, in many ways it is even more difficult to train like this, due to the fact that you are completely relying on yourself both mentally and physically. Since B.F.T. requires tha a partner assists you with forced reps and strip sets, the way around this is to manually strip off the weight yourself (which is harder) and in place of the partner assisted forced reps, you will use the Rest/Pause technique. This means, for example, if you are doing leg extensions and hit momentary failure, rather than having your partner assist you with forced reps, you simply put the weight down and count to five. After you have "Rested" for the count of five, continue with the set (at the same weight) getting as nmany more reps as you can (usually no more than 2 or 3 will be possible). When you hit failure again, you will again rest for a 5 second count. Again, after this 5-second rest you will continue with the set (at the same weight) getting as many more reps as possible (which at this point will be one or two). When you hit failure a third time, you will again rest for 5 seconds, then continue (again using the same weight) and when you hit failure for the 4th time you will lighten the weight and continue your set repeating the same protocol as before. You will then drop the weight for a second and final time and repeat the same failure/rest/pause method you used in the first two sequences. Basically, in place of partner assisted forced reps, you will do 3 Rest/Pause cycles. Everything else in terms of B.F.T. will remain the same.

[Matt Cena]

I remember you posting this before over on MD, the pics that you posted were crazy.

I will try to get them up over here as well, truly motivational.


Great thread . RIP Trevor.

Thank you Maduk for stopping in and I am glad you have enjoyed the thread. Trevor left here early but what he left behind will continue to impact people for quite some time I believe.

[Matt Cena]

Synopsis Of Trevor's B.F.T. Training From July-August 2002

The following are snapshots of my training from the last 6 weeks. Although I have been under a tremendous amount of stress and aggravation during this time period, my training has jumped to a new level of strength and intensity. I increased my strength by 100lbs. in certain pressing movements (and we are talking post pre-exhaust movement pressing...not pressing while fresh and rested) and I attribute this to the fact that due to scheduling changes, I was forced to train by myself....which has always been my preferred way of training as I do not like having anything disrupt my concentration or focus and I like all of my energy and focus to go towards myself...basically I am very selfish with my training. Although I am overly giving when I am training someone else.
So without further comment, here is a recap of the last 6 weeks of my training

Chest and Calves: (Mondays)
http://web.archive.org/web/20030413041621/http://nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/trevor%20training%20august%202002/flye1.jpg
Pec Dec Flyes For Pre-Exhaustion....here I am using 540lbs. The Following week, I took it up to 560lbs., but after analyzing things I think it would serve me best to use less weight and do this exercise Zero Momentum Style. Of course, this set was done B.F.T. style with a quadruple drop and 3 Extreme Forced Reps before I moved onto Incline Bench Presses
http://web.archive.org/web/20030413041621/http://nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/trevor%20training%20august%202002/incline1.jpg
As I said, my strength went through the fu&*ing roof during this training cycle. I am now starting my post-pre-exhaust B.F.T. set of Incline Presses with a legitimate SEVEN 45lbs. plates on each side (675 pounds)
..

As you can see....there is just enough space left for 1 more 45 pound plate for my goal of 765lbs. as the starting weight for my post-pre-exhaust B.F.T. set of Incline Presses. You have to think big to be big!
http://web.archive.org/web/20030413041621/http://nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/trevor%20training%20august%202002/incline3.jpg
The set begins with spotters ready to assist when needed and to strip the weights
http://web.archive.org/web/20030413041621/http://nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/trevor%20training%20august%202002/incline4.jpg
The hardest part with an amount of weight like this is unlocking the latches....christ it feels so heavy in that top position....but aside from that it went up smooth...but it was not easy by any means.
http://web.archive.org/web/20030413041621/http://nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/trevor%20training%20august%202002/incline5.jpg
First drop.....2 plates off


This pic was taken in between the second and third drop...as is evident by the fact that the spotter on the left has yet to take the 4 plates down to 3
http://web.archive.org/web/20030413041621/http://nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/trevor%20training%20august%202002/incline7.jpg
Spotters getting ready for the fourth plate strip...down to 225lbs. (*note the spotter on the right keep putting both hands spread out on the weights throughout the entire set.....which actually made the 675lbs. feel like over 700lbs when I started the set.....but hey, he was nice enough to spot me so I cannot complain...although I would like to.
http://web.archive.org/web/20030413041621/http://nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/trevor%20training%20august%202002/incline8.jpg
Down to 225lbs....which, at this point, feels just as heavy as the 675lbs.
http://web.archive.org/web/20030413041621/http://nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/trevor%20training%20august%202002/incline9.jpg
Finally strip....down to 135lbs.....this is where I throw in what I call "Impossible Negatives"...but I will explain those at another time....or you can come out and have me train you and experience them first hand.

[Matt Cena]

Synopsis Of Trevor's B.F.T. Training From July-August 2002 Continued...
.....

After that set of B.F.T. Incline Presses I was pumped to say the least
.....

Another shot post set....My weight hit as high as 380lbs (guestimate). during this training cycle....although at any given time I can fluctuate 10-12 pounds....especially if it is a hot day and I haven't drank enough. But give me a day where I consume 2 gallons of fluid and all you can eat sushi, and the 400lbs. mark rapidly approaches. Truth be told, I have no way of knowing once my weight goes past 370lbs. I basically go by feel as I don't have a scale that goes that high.
.....

Finishing up my Monday workout with calves on a squat machine. Since I have to use so much damn weight and the machines in this gym cannot hold enough....I wind up doing things like Extreme ZMR's.....where the positive and negative part of the rep take 30 seconds each (sometimes 60 seconds each) and I hold it in the stretched position for another 30-60 seconds.
.....

Calves are nice and pumped post set...although I do need a better tan

Shoulders and Triceps (Tuesdays)
........

Pre-exhaust for shoulders begins with an overloaded lateral machine..the stack plus four 45's (2 plates...2 dumbbells)
.....

First drop after 3 forced reps.....90lbs. comes off
.....

Final drop occurs.....another 90lbs. is dropped and the forced reps begin when failure sets in
......

Next....onto front presses. I loaded the bar with 545lbs. and to my surprise it felt like child's weight....so I would up doing extra reps rather than my normal double. However, the following week I was using six 45 pound plates (585lbs.)....unfortunately nobody was available that day to take pictures
....

The set begins....5 reps with 545lbs.
http://web.archive.org/web/20030413103149/http://nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/trevor%20training%20august%202002/press2.jpg
First drop....down to 405lbs
...

Down to 315lbs.
...

Down to 225lbs. (Remember after failure is hit with each of these drops, 1-2 forced reps are given by the spotters
...

The Final drop....135lbs.....which is when the afore mentioned "Impossible Negatives" will commence

[Matt Cena]

Synopsis Of Trevor's B.F.T. Training From July-August 2002 Continued...
......

Finishing up shoulders with 1 straight set to failure on the rear delt machine
http://web.archive.org/web/20030414095547/http://nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/trevor%20training%20august%202002/tricepprep.jpg
Triceps are next.....one set utilizing Z.M.R.'s and E.F.A's...The entire set will take close to 5 minutes to complete
http://web.archive.org/web/20030414095547/http://nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/trevor%20training%20august%202002/triceps1.jpg
Elbows wedged against the pad and hands together to simulate a dumbbell triceps press.....learn to think outside the box...machines are not perfect as they were designed by men

Back and Biceps (Thursdays)...due to shortage of film...I did not record an biceps training...sorry
http://web.archive.org/web/20030414095547/http://nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/trevor%20training%20august%202002/pullover%206%20plates.jpg
Hammer Pullovers for pre-exhaust....my strength went up 90lbs. in this exercise as well
http://web.archive.org/web/20030414095547/http://nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/trevor%20training%20august%202002/pullover2.jpg
As failure starts.....the forced reps begin
http://web.archive.org/web/20030414095547/http://nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/trevor%20training%20august%202002/pullover3.jpg
First drop....180lbs...and still struggling through the set...THAT is pre-exhaustion....if you have a lot of energy left after your first and subsequent drop sets....YOU ARE NOT PUSHING HARD ENOUGH ON YOUR FIRST SET!
http://web.archive.org/web/20030414095547/http://nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/trevor%20training%20august%202002/pullover6.jpg
The final drop...another plate comes off....failure is damn near immediate! The set is over after 3 agonizing forced reps
.......

Next, onto Hammer low-rows. Due to my explosion in strength, I have had to modify the machines so I can get extra weight on them. This machine normally only holds Five 45 pound plates.....but I figured out a way to add another 90lbs. in dumbbells with some duct tape....truth be told though, it is still not enough, and the owners of the gym are not too happy with my modifications.
........

One set to failure....with 3 Extreme Forced Reps. This is all that is needed when done correctly. *Note the position of my legs and hips. This will allow an even deeper pull and thus allow more contraction and stimulation of the back muscles.
.......

Left Side....same thing. Notice the elbow! Tight to the body and dragging along side the torso. Do not "pull" with the biceps, but rather "drag" with the elbow to maximally stimulate the back.
.......

I really like these "bench-rows" as they take all stress and strain off the lower back and place it on the lats. Here I am using a rather light weight, but it feels like a ton because I am doing the set Extreme Zero Momentum style. This means, in this instance, 10 seconds for the positive movement, 10 seconds for the negative movement, 10 seconds in the stretched position and 10 seconds in the contracted position.
.....

Another shot showing the 10 second hold in the stretched position for the positive part of the movement begins, Z.M.R. style and taking 10 seconds to reach the fully contracted position.

[Matt Cena]

Legs (Fridays)
.....

My Kingdom for an old Nautilus Leg Extension machine! The leg equipment in the gym I am currently training at just cannot accommodate my needs....I cannot add enough weight to the stack, so I have to do lots of other things to get the intensity where it needs to be.
http://web.archive.org/web/20030414095547/http://nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/trevor%20training%20august%202002/legs3.jpg
B.F.T. leg extensions bring on a pain like nothing else....people think B.F.T. is "just drop sets and forced reps". To these people I say "Yes...drop sets and forced reps with the addition of Trevor". If you are one who doesn't think this makes a difference.....come out for a session
http://web.archive.org/web/20030414095547/http://nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/trevor%20training%20august%202002/legs5.jpg
This guy I got to spot me turned out to inadvertently give me a great spot....by only using his index fingers (thinking he was superman) he wound up making me go through Extreme Forced Reps.....I could barely move after this second and final B.F.T. set for Leg Extensions. (*Note the stack is on like 70lbs. and I can barely move it at all...True failure baby.....or should I say true Beyond Failure)
http://web.archive.org/web/20030414095547/http://nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/trevor%20training%20august%202002/legs8.jpg
*Warning! DO NOT TRY THESE! Due to the abnormal amount of power that I have in my legs, and the fact that no machine in the gym I train at can accommodate them, I am forced to do extensive pre-exhausting with Leg Extensions and also single legged Leg Press. This movement is very dangerous which is why I have a spotter counterbalancing me and I have both hands stabilizing my knee. One straight set of 10 reps (the weight is 1000lbs.) for each leg is all I do.
http://web.archive.org/web/20030414095547/http://nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/trevor%20training%20august%202002/legs9.jpg
Finishing up with the left leg
.......

Finally...and at this point I am near death and sucking wind like nobody's business...I finish my quads off with one set of Smith Machine squats....a movement that I have not done in years to be honest and do not fit very comfortably into the machine as I feel like I am being crucified, my arms are too close together, and my wrists are going to snap. The spotters are there not to help with stripping the weight...but to help insure the eight 45 pound plate on each side won't fall off--which has happened before--even though I have them taped together.
8 grueling, knee killing reps and I am ready to meet my maker.

http://web.archive.org/web/20030414095547/http://nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/trevor%20training%20august%202002/legs12.jpg
After 15-20 minutes of recuperating, I finish off my already torched hamstrings with one triple drop set of standing leg curls. Z.M.R. style and holding for a count of 5 seconds in the contracted position. The trick to this exercise is to try and make your heal touch your ass and then hold it there and squeeze like hell.
.......

The moment you never think will come during leg day....the last exercise and the last set. At this point I collapse on the floor for another 10 minute rest as I cannot make it out the door right away.

Well, there you have it.....a week in the life of Trevor Smith during an all out B.F.T. cycle. As I review these pictures I am amazed at the progress I made during this time. To say I was dealing with a lot of stress and a lot of psychic vampiring would be an understatement. I did so, so many things wrong, yet the one thing I did consistently is stay focused when I walked through that gym door. I shutter to think the progress I will make on my next B.F.T. cycle if I can keep stress to near zero levels and keep negative energy out of my life. These are the sessions that I will want to capture on film. From this point on, it is all about me. This doesn't mean others cannot come along for the ride, however, it does mean that if they get in my way or suck any of my energy, they will quickly be discarded. Like I said, from this point on, it is all about Trevor Smith.
It is my goal during the next 4-5 weeks down time to complete my gym so that I can have my B.F.T. video ready before the year is up.
I promise you this much....it will be well worth the wait.

Train hard and stay focused and thanks for the support

[Matt Cena]

My BFT Experiment

By Mike Shay


My name is Mike Shay and I'm a 43 year old writer/personal trainer living in Sedona, Arizona. Last summer, while on vacation on Cape Cod with my wife and daughter I happened upon a great gym, R&R Fitness in Hyannis, Ma. The gym had great equipment and the hardcore, dungeon atmospher that is all but gone from today's "fitness parlors." The gym had posters up for a seminar with Trevor Smith, founder of "Beyond Failure Training" and Nuclear Nutrition. I'd heard of Trevor, but to be honest I don't read the muscle magazines, I just love to train. I signed up for the seminar and the owner of the gym's mom, Linda, gave me a copy of GEAR UZR so I could read about Trevor and his philosophies. I was intrigued and impressed. We had a lot in common including a background in martial arts and a love of animals. Not to mention the fact that he carried more muscle than any human I'd ever seen!

I decided to sign up for a personal training session with Trevor. My wife was against it. I charge $125 per session for personal training, and she couldn't picture anyone knowing more that me. (Don't you love wives?) Anyway, I had to wait almost two weeks for the day to come. I was his last scheduled appointment that day and my wife told me to prepare myself to be disappointed. (She's not usually so negative.) She said even if he's huge and knowlegable, he's never going to see you again and he'll probably just go through the motions. My gut told me differently. I'd decided from the beginning that I was going to have Trevor train me on legs. They're my strongest bodypart performance-wise, but probably the least impressive visually. I've had eight operations on my left knee, including a total reconstruction (hockey) and the leg doesn't bend or straighten all the way. There's nerve damage so I have a hard time getting that quad pumped or sore, even though I can squat 700 for reps.

Finally the day came. I showed up for my session jacked on caffeine and ephedrine, I was already soaked with sweat and shaking like a leaf. Jamie, the owner of the gym, introduced me to Trevor. Holy shit! He was even bigger in person! I told him I wanted to train legs and he smirked. (I found out later that the last guy he put through legs puked halfway through and couldn't finish.) I didn't know what to expect, but I planned on showing him that I was a lot stronger than I looked. Trevor noticed the scars on my knee and I told him, "Don't worry, I can go hard." I've been training close to 30 years and I've tried just about everything. In fact, about the only things I'd never done were pre-exhaust and Zero Momentum Reps, which is exactly what Trevor had me do. &n p; Now, there are a lot of personal trainers out there. Most of them suck, they either don't know anything or they don't care, or both. I knew that Trevor knew his stuff, but a small part of me was prepared for him not giving a shit. After all, he was used to training pros. Was I wrong! He was all over me, yelling, spotting, soaked with sweat. He explained his theories and applications between sets. When we got to pressing and squatting movements he knew to spot on my left without me telling him. He was TOTALLY PRESENT throughout the session.

When the workout was over, he answered all of my questions concerning training and nutrition, even though most of them would be covered the next day at the seminar. I had used less than half the weight I would normally use, yet my legs (even the left one!) were pumped in places they'd never been before. There was no swelling in my knee and my quads were sore for a week! I was sold. When I got back to Arizona I e-mailed Trevor to thank him again for the great training session, and to ask him if he'd be interested in personally coaching me after I got my feet wet applying his principles on my own. I told him that I wanted to give myself six weeks to learn his system and use his supplements, then do eight weeks of personal coaching with him. He e-mailed me back and said that he enjoyed training me, and yeah, he'd be happy to personally coach me. I wanted to gauge my progress, so I weighed myself and tested bodyfat at the start of this experiment. I was 217 at 8.0% bodyfat (I'm 5'8") not exactly a pencilneck, but nowhere near as big or as lean as I'd have liked. A lot of people, even some "experts" would say I'd reached my potential, especially given my age and how long I'd been training. I'm not one of those people. During the six week "learning phase" I trained with medium intensity. All reps performed ZMR style, no forced reps or drop sets. My diet was in the "comfort zone," about 3500 calories per day, but I immediately felt a HUGE difference in absorbtion by switching from the protein powder I had been using to Ultra Pro 7. At the end of the six weeks I weighed 224 at 7.95% bodyfat. Pretty good gains in a short amount of time. Just as important, I now had a pretty good idea of what Beyond Failure Training was all about. Now for the fun part! Trevor mapped out my exact training and eating for the next eight weeks. I'd be adding in forced reps and drop sets. I'd be performing some of my exercises explosively. He had me increase my protein intake. He had me DOUBLE my carb intake. I was very excited. The training was brutal. At times, the eating was even harder. If I had a question, I'd e-mail Trevor, and he'd get right back to me. I don't have a problem with motivation, intensity or consistency and I didn't need a cheerleader or a babysitter.

At the beginning of the training cycle I told Trevor that my goal was to weigh 240 at 7% bodyfat at the end of the cycle. A pretty lofty goal, I thought, but something to shoot for. I could go into great detail about all the pain I enjoyed/ endured, or the food I choked down while my eyes watered, but all you really need to know is this: I weigh 252 pounds at 7.7% bodyfat. I gained 35 pounds in 14 weeks and lowered my bodyfat percentage! Not bad gains for someone who's been training 30 years. I couldn't have done it without Trevor's guidance. As I often say to my clients, I'm in the results business. Combining Trevor's system, Beyong Failure Training, with his supplements brings results that are nothing short of astounding. As astounding as my gains were, there were still some things I could have done better. I should have stretched more, I should have focused more on working the muscle and less on lifting the weight, and I should have drank more water. I plan to take this week off from training and then train with medium intensity for the next eight weeks. Then I'll be ready to hit it hard again. bsp; If all goes well I hope to make it out to Vegas for a few torture sessions during my next heavy training cycle. What better way to spend my 44th birthday?!

[Matt Cena]

Pics from 2000 USA Championships, Las Vegashttp://web.archive.org/web/20030414102236/http://nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/pic_sep4_8.jpg
Nancy and Trevor Smith taking a quick break at the Nuclear booth



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Trevor Smith handing out free samples while Milos Sarcev pines for another photo opportunity.....Hey Milos what is that, your 10th sample of M.R.P. Factor 2??
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The man himself....Mr. Olympia great, and king of the hard-core training, Dorian Yates with I.F.B.B. Pro Milos Sarcev with a sunburned Trevor Smith
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Trevor, Dorian and Milos exchanging training ideas..


http://web.archive.org/web/20030414224856/http://nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/pic_sep4_24.jpg
Flex Senior Writer J.R. (Jim Rosenthal) with Theresa Hessler and Trevor Smith

[Matt Cena]

Pics From Power House Gym, Fullerton CA

Here are a few candid shots from the Powerhouse Gym party
held at Milos Sarcev's Powerhouse Gym in Fullerton , California this July

http://web.archive.org/web/20031221123748/http://nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/pic_sep3_1.jpg
Robbie Robinson--fresh from the Masters Olympia discusses
the wonderful I.F.B.B. judges with Milos Sarcev and Trevor Smith

http://web.archive.org/web/20031221123748/http://nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/pic_sep3_2.jpg
Shawn Ray, Robbie Robinson and Trevor Smith at Powerhouse
Fullerton, California.....Shawn just got his new Diablo... http://web.archive.org/web/20031221123748/http://nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/pic_sep3_3.jpg
And there it is......Sugar Shawn Ray proud as a Poppa with his
new wheels.

[Matt Cena]

Pics from the 2000 Olympia
http://web.archive.org/web/20031221120653/http://nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/pic_nov2_5.jpg
From L to R: Trevor Smith, Jen Doxey and Ian Harrison. Jen is Trevor's protege and came to him 4 months earlier weighing 175lbs. wanting to do a show! Nobody took her seriously, but with and Iron Clad will and Trevor's Guidence she finished 2nd in her first two shows and qualified for the Nationals...which She is competing in on November 11th!! Way to go Jen....you are an inspiration to us all. Look for a complete story on Jen in an upcoming issue of Gear U.Z.R., the website and in an upcoming issue of Women's Physique World!

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Ian talks with a fan at the Nuclear Nutrition booth.
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Trevor, getting to meet one of his inspirations, and truly one of the greatest strongmen to ever live: The Great Bill Kazmier!
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Trevor and Nancy Smith at the Nuclear Nutrition Booth
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Trevor stops by to say hello to Mr. Consitency: The Great Shawn Ray...who should have taken third at this years
Mr. O

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The Nuclear Nutrition Booth.....Yes, the very same one a certain little dwarf is going around claiming credit for....too bad he didn't claim the $4,500 bill for it as well
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The sexy, the sultry and super feminine Tatiana Anderson, whose beauty is surpassed only by her wonderfully sweet personality......Trevor is just hoping that nobody invents a camera that can take a picture of the perverse thoughts that were running through his head at that moment....

[Matt Cena]

Pics From 2000 Mr.Olympia Part 2
http://web.archive.org/web/20030415101910/http://nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/pic_nov2_22.jpg
Trevor Smith stops by the Chemical Nutrition booth to see Mr. Hard-Core himself, 6 time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates......Me thinks Dorian would like the back of Trevor's T-Shirt a lot!
http://web.archive.org/web/20030415101910/http://nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/pic_nov2_23.jpg
Trevor Smith trying to convince Lee Priest that Pro-Lab really won't mind if he starts handing out copies of Nuclear Nutrition's Gear U.Z.R. Magazine at their booth
http://web.archive.org/web/20030415101910/http://nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/pic_nov2_24.jpg
Trevor Smith and the 2000 Olympic Gold Medalist in Greco Roman Wrestling, and the man who beat the seemingly invincible Alexander Karilin: Rulon Gardner

[HeavyDutyGuy]

Great post! BFT is brutal- toughest way to train. Too bad Trevor was taken from us so soon RIP BIG guy.

[Matt Cena]

Great post! BFT is brutal- toughest way to train. Too bad Trevor was taken from us so soon RIP BIG guy.

HeavyDutyGuy, I completely agree with everything you posted above. By far the most intense and mentally challenging workouts I have ever done.
He was taken soon, this is true, it is my hopes by posting his thoughts and training philosophies that he will continue to influence others positively as he has been a huge influence to me.
Thank you for checking out the thread and for you reply.

[Matt Cena]

And now some of Trevor's writings:

Four Demons By Trevor Smith

Here is something that I learned in my years of Martial Arts training. It is an interesting little Zen story that applies to everyone, and to everything when pursuing a goal.
Training is not something that should be taken lightly. Each moment in the gym is a gift from the heavens that allows you to focus on yourself and supply yourself with much needed introspection. It is akin to meditation. During your workout, the outside world should not exist. Your concentration should be at peak levels. Mentally, physically and spiritually connecting to every fiber in your body and harnessing all your energy for the task at hand.
Sadly, so few take this opportunity. Yes, they may go into the gym, but for a staggering number of would be bodybuilders, the gym is a place to garner accolades and attention from everyone around them. They walk into the gym in matching outfits, carefully put together so that they are noticed. They stop and talk to 5 or 6 people before they even pass the front counter of the gym, and when on the floor, they talk to another 5 or 6 more. Their focus is split into 80 different directions. For them the gym is a place to impress those smaller or weaker than them, to get people to notice their arms or their legs, or to get people to notice how much weight they can bench. Every girl who walks by in a revealing outfit is approached by these guys, for the gym is more of a social club than a place of sanctity.
When I see these people I laugh to myself. Fools often have no idea what it is they are missing and it is quite entertaining to watch them in action. To me, the gym is no different that the Dojo and there is certainly no bullshit going on in any Dojo that I have trained or taught in.
Beneath all suffering lies the beauty of opportunity….. That saying came to me after a grueling training session in Jiu-Jutsu and as everyone else was heading home to rest their battered bodies, I was faced with the un-welcomed task of heading to the gym for my scheduled workout. I thought to myself what the Zen masters always knew…..that no matter how harsh the situation there is something to be gained..something wonderful….hence I wrote "Beneath All Suffering Lies The Beauty Of Opportunity" and I headed for the gym to complete my workout.
When I am in the gym, I talk with no one, pay attention to no one and basically shut out everyone around me. People do not approach me as they ass-u-me (which makes an ass out of you and me) that I am an asshole or that I am mean. While this never boded well when I was single, it did not matter to me (Truth be known this does not bode well for being married either as I often do not notice, pay attention to and ignore my own wife who, after countless explanations, finally understands that it is not personal). The gym was not a place for me to score dates…..all that existed was myself and the weights. The rest of the world did not exist until my workout was over. I can honestly say that I never saw anyone in the gym that trained nearly as hard as myself which is the reason I was able to get over 300lbs before ever taking a drop of gear. It is very difficult to keep up this level of focus and intensity and sometimes I almost wished I were able to take the approach of others who went to the gym to "play". They seemed so relaxed—as well they should because they trained like pussies---as I would get nervous, anxious and scared before my workouts as I knew the pain and "suffering " would not be pleasant. For those of you who train like this and wish to train like this you no-doubt have experienced times when you just wanted to stop doing it and it is for you that this article is catered to. For those who use the gym as their social life go surround yourself with little boys as the following is intended for men.
In the quest of any goal you without question will be confronted by the 4-demons. In fact, they will be in your face daily. The first step in defeating these demons is to know they exist and to recognize them when they come.
The first Demon that one typically meets along their path is the DEMON OF TIRED. The DEMON of tired is most apt to strike when other events during your day have caused you stress or you are pre-occupied with something else. Sitting on your shoulder he quietly whispers to you that you’ve had a long day and it’s ok not to train balls out or better yet not to train at all. I am amazed at the number of people that succumb to this DEMON and justify their actions by stating "I don’t want to overtrain". Understanding that the body is capable of dealing with massive amounts of physical stress helps you differentiate from being actually burned out a bit and overtrained and under-rested as opposed to looking for an excuse to be lazy.
The Second DEMON that you are destined to meet is the DEMON OF PAIN. This DEMON manifests itself right towards the end of a set. Of course he always appears during your perceived moment of failure rather than your actual moment of failure. We’ve all seen this demon at work in the gym. You watch somebody doing a set of bench presses and they just "STOP" for no apparent reason other than the fact that the set started to become uncomfortable. "Fatigue makes cowards of us all"….this has been proven by Pavlov and a whole slew of scientists. However, where the DEMON OF PAIN is concerned, with a lot of people "The thought of fatigue makes cowards of many" Actually taking a set to true failure is a foreign idea to most because it is HIGHLY PAINFUL and UNCOMFORTABLE. They have already surrendered to the DEMON OF TIRED before hand. "Bending over" if you will, before even trying to fight back. Most people who do this also seem to confuse the idea of being injured with the idea of being in pain. They are not one and the same. If one is injured, they often experience pain, however if one is experiencing pain this does not necessarily mean they are injured. The DEMON OF PAIN blurs the line between injury and pain so that you can rid yourself of any guilt for training like a pussy.
The third DEMON is the DEMON OF CONCENTRATION. There is a famous story of a martial arts instructor and one of his students that I would like to share because it applies equally to bodybuilding. A martial arts instructor welcomes a new student into his dojo. This student was very excited and very eager to learn, so after the first class he approached the instructor and said "Sensei, how long will it take for me to be your top student?" To this the Master replied "10 years!". Disappointed, the student then asked: "What if I train every day and never miss a class?" To this the Master replied "15 years!". Further let down, the student quickly responded: "Well what if I train twice day for 8 hours a day and never miss a class?" To this the Master replied: "20 years"….Finally the student asked: "Sensei, I do not understand. Why is it that every time I tell you I will train longer and harder, the longer it will take me to be the best student?" To this the master quietly responded: "With only one eye on the path and one eye on your goal of being my best student, you will never find your way." In simple terms, this means that you cannot partially concentrate on what you are doing in any given moment and expect to get to your maximum potential. In the gym, the only thing that matters is the workout at hand and in particular, the exercise you are currently doing. The DEMON OF CONCENTRATION has his way when you are distracted by what someone else is lifting, what someone else is wearing, what someone else is saying of what someone else looks like. I fully appreciate that for men in particular, the advent of thongs and lycra spandex can make battling this DEMON difficult, but knowing the ways in which he operates goes a long way to defeating him. If you feel your concentration lapse, quickly pull yourself back to the task at hand. In the long run you will understand that there is a time and place for everything and you cannot have it all at once if you expect to excel in anything
The final DEMON is the most powerful and most difficult. It is the DEMON OF CONTINUE. Day in and day out you will be faced with the afore mentioned 3 demons only to realize that you have to get up and face them all over again. This realization is the DEMON OF CONTINUE. Here is where the "I’ll train tomorrow’s" and the "I’ll eat good tomorrow’s" start playing in your mind. Anyone can stay structured and focused for one month, even three months or six months. But can you stay focused and on your path and face the DEMONS everyday for the REST OF YOUR LIFE? That is the question. This is where you can gain ground on those that are seemingly so far ahead of you now. They won’t be able to beat the DEMON OF CONTINUE. But trust me if you do, you will surpass them very quickly. A few years ago people would have laughed at the idea of Ronnie Coleman being Mr. Olympia…..now it appears as if nobody will beat this guy and he will be the best Mr. Olympia of all time in terms of his physique. The same can be said about Nasser. He competed in 30 pro shows before his constant battling of the DEMON OF CONTINUE paid off in one of the most massive physiques to ever step on a pro stage.
In short, understand that you are given an opportunity that many people will never have when you step into the gym. There will be a lot of factors playing against you, many distractions. It is all in your hands whether or not you make the most of your time and subsequently your physique or if you wind up another could have been with your destiny in the hands of one or all of THE FOUR DEMONS.

[Matt Cena]

Staying On One's Path By Trevor Smith
Conceive....Believe....Achieve. This is the basic equation for all creation. Everything that man has every created, built, constructed, postulated, has all occurred through the use of this simple formula. It seems so ridiculously simple doesn't it. Too easy to actually work, but understand that it does and you have the ability to achieve anything.
We are going to take a look at each part of this equation and see how we can apply it to our lives and in particular to our bodybuilding goals. My hope is that when reading this, you understand and take away from it the practical applications for everything in your life. My martial arts instructor used to say...."Do not forget to take a diamond from jewel mountain" This simple means that look at all things as an opportunity for you to grow spiritually, mentally and physically. Don't go through the wasted effort of exposing yourself to new knowledge, only to forget it the second you walk away from it. How many times have we all read a book only to be unable to recall key points in it a few days later?
Understanding this equation above will equip you with the ability to control your own destiny, so let us dive right into the first part, which happens to be the easiest part.....CONCEIVING. Everyone does this, in fact most are doing it right now. They are creating a vivid imagination of something that they would like to have happen. So detailed are these images, that the body actually has physiological responses to them. The heart-rate increases, adrenaline is released, endorphins flood our systems. We just thought of something that we would love to create or have happen. We can taste what it will be like if it occurs, we get so excited that we tell our friends or family, and that is where the process ends.
"Dad, I want to be an champion Bodybuilder." Dad's response: "Do you realize how impossible that is to become, and why on earth would you want to waste your time doing such a thing, there is no money in it. If I were you I would forget about those stupid pipe dreams and focus on a realistic goal." Sound familiar? Or better yet, before you even go and tell someone, you yourself have the exact same conversation like the one above except instead of your mother, father or friend telling you to get real, you tell yourself to. That's right, you cut your own legs out from under you, and why? Because you start to realize that it is a little more complicated than just conceiving an idea. Well I am here to tell you that it is not complicated at all, that the process is so simple that is scares everyone into thinking it is too good to be true and therefor too hard.
You can conceive of ideas or dreams or goals all day long, but if you do not take them immediately to the second part of the equation, they will die just as fast as you created them. Believing, and in particular belief in ones self, is the second part of the equation and it is the most difficult part. It really shouldn't be a difficult part at all and inherently it is quite simple, but we live in a world of expectations....expectations of society, family and friends, and these are constantly at odds with what you wish to believe about yourself.
If you ever get the chance to read some of the works of Joseph Campbell, do yourself a favor and read. Joseph Campbell had a love for all things in mythology, he conceived of a world in which he could make a living learning and teaching about mythology, he believed it when everyone else was wondering why on earth he would want to be a mythologist and were even wondering what the hell a mythologist was. It did not deter him from his path and until the end of his life, he continued to achieve world renowned greatness in the field of mythology and in the field of spirituality. He was truly a Master that walked the earth. He once told of the tale of King Minos and what it really meant when everything he touched turned to Gold. What was being told in that myth was that if you fail to follow your calling and do not believe in yourself, even if you manage to achieve great wealth and monetary possessions, it will be useless to you because you will be dead inside. Forever wondering what your life would have been like if you would have only listened to your calling and followed your dream and most importantly believed in yourself in spite of what others thought you should do or wanted you to do. Joseph Campbell also went on to say that this would not be an easy thing to do because of society and family pressures, but that things have a way of happening and opening to you if you choose your own path, one that is uncharted and specific to you, no matter what it is. He taught that everyone receives a calling which causes us to conceive a wonderful vision of what our life could be. The unfortunate thing is that most of us ignore this calling becoming yet another tragedy of life.
Therefore, the first thing we must do is learn to say "Fuck You" to everyone in our life who does not support or believe in what you have decided your calling is. Life is not about money, it is about creating and one of the things to realize is that if you are doing what you love, you will have happiness and bliss no matter what...rich or poor, but if you are following money all your life you may acquire it, but will still feel empty inside, and if you lose it or fail to acquire enough of it you are really left with nothing.
The strange thing is, is that when you follow your love, that which drives you the most, money has a way of finding you. Now I don't want anyone to think that this process happens overnight. For myself, I decided I wanted to be a bodybuilder and move to California to pursue that when I was 16 years old. Everyone thought I was crazy and didn't take me serious. As the years went by, I went to College and always gave the same answer when people asked what I was planning on doing with my life: I was moving to California to pursue bodybuilding! "Is there any money in that? They would ask. I would say: "I don't know and I don't care!" After College, when everyone was settled into there jobs and livings, they would brag about how much money they were making or would be making and when they would ask me what I was doing, my answer remained the same. More years went by as I continued to achieve my goals in Martial Arts, and yet my answer remained the same whenever the question was asked on what I was going to do with my life. My path was and is not a short one, it was rather long and arduous. I watched many people achieve monetary success and have nice things while I still struggled on my path, for money was not my focus. I could have easily stayed in New York, opened my own Dojo with my friend and made lots of money teaching Martial Arts. But I stayed true to my calling, as I stay true to this day. The first two years of my life in California were hellish to say the least, and it would have been very easy to put my tail between my legs and go back to where money would be secure and pressure would be less. But that would have been the seemingly easy way that would turn into the hard way. No I stuck it out, even when my wife and family questioned me, and what has happened? I have a business that is steadily building, I have met and befriended many or the bodybuilders I read about and looked up to in the magazines and I have gained their respect as well. People come to me for help and I get to give it to them and change their lives for the better. I wake up everyday knowing I get to do what I love to do, living in beautiful weather in a nice house 5 blocks from the beach and 2 minutes from the most famous gym in the world. I believed in me and my dream, even when my life was at it's lowest and seemingly hardest. I was alone and it did not matter, I would not cave, and I still will not cave. I know there are even greater things out there and all I have to do is stay on my path and believe in myself. In doing this, everyday I achieve something else new and wonderful. Which brings us to the third part of the equation.
Achieving is as easy as conceiving, but it is the believing that makes everything possible. When you set out on your path, whether it is bodybuilding or something else, the day you stop believing is the day you stop achieving. People make the mistake of looking for a final result from this equation of Conceive, Believe, Achieve, but there isn't one. It is an infinite equation, one that brings you amazing treasures and gifts each and every moment if you only open your eyes and look for them. The beauty lies in the process. ....And when he snatched the jewel from the mouth of the Dragon a profound sense of sadness filled him....... So he tossed away the precious stone, for he realized that the true gift lie in the process.....
Stay on your path, no matter what and you will achieve everything you could ever imagine and more, but most of all you will achieve inner peace because you listened to yourself and stuck it out no matter how hard things got. Don't make the mistake of comparing yourself to others....only compare yourself with yourself If bodybuilding has been calling you, you must follow the call, it may not lead you to becoming a professional, but you will be very surprised where you can wind up, and in the end you will know that you posessed the heart of a true champion...a true hero. For a hero is not someone who laughs in the face of adversity, a hero is someone who despite being terrified of what lies ahead, forges on, and stays the path no matter what may lie ahead.

[Matt Cena]

Embracing Failure

by Trevor L. Smith No…No…this is not an article about why Beyond Failure Training should be the method of training for all bodybuilders. In fact it has little to do with bodybuilding and yet everything to do with it. Often times when I would be teaching my students in the Dojo, the look of frustration and disappointment that washed over their faces whether they were 10 years old or 40 years old would force me to stop that days lesson for some much needed clarification. You see in every facet of life, it is always easier to be on the outside looking in. My students would watch me demonstrate an advanced self defense concept and watch the way I moved and executed things and then compared the way they were doing the same move to that and invariable the would become completely deflated.
Men and women of huge accomplishment, whether they were heads of powerful companies, in charge of 100 employees or even if they were in charge of protecting the president of the united states, would all turn into frustrated little boys and girls that came down harder on themselves then a brick wall when they perceived they were failing with the task at hand. I want it, and I want it now and if I cannot do it perfectly right away, I will not do it at all. This is what was written all over their faces, simply because they felt out of control and felt they were failing at the task at hand. My solution was simple. First I would point out to them, that the ease and efficacy with which I performed was due to the fact that I lived on the Dojo mat. I spent many, many hours training and teaching, but yet still there were thousands of things I did wrong and in many cases, had an even harder time grasping the concepts that were plaguing them.
The point was simple. Do not fall into the habit of comparing yourself in a situation unless all other things are equal, and even this is a problem, because all other things are never equal since no two people are alike, much the way no two snowflakes are alike. Taking this into the realm of bodybuilding, an inordinate number of people make the mistake of comparing their physiques and accomplishments to those they admire and because of this wind up getting impatient and trying to circumvent the "failure" that they perceive they are experiencing It is important to understand that "failure" is a wonderful thing. It is what allows us to succeed.
The point was simple. Do not fall into the habit of comparing yourself in a situation unless all other things are equal, and even this is a problem, because all other things are never equal since no two people are alike, much the way no two snowflakes are alike. Taking this into the realm of bodybuilding, an inordinate number of people make the mistake of comparing their physiques and accomplishments to those they admire and because of this wind up getting impatient and trying to circumvent the "failure" that they perceive they are experiencing It is important to understand that "failure" is a wonderful thing. It is what allows us to succeed. Imagine how boring and un-eventful and un-challenging life would be if everything came easy to you. You would enjoy nothing, for you would know nothing but ease and success and success without failure is not success. It just is! To my little students I would say, "You cannot truly appreciate ice cream until you know the foul taste of asparagus" But it goes even deeper than this. Once while training with Benny "The Jet" Urquidez—perhaps the greatest full contact kick boxer that ever lived—he said something very interesting to me, while I was getting pissed off because I kept screwing up a particular sparring sequence. "Why are you getting angry because you are missing it?" "You should be having fun and laughing everytime you screw up, because that means you are getting one step closer to mastery." And he was totally correct! All "failures" and "mistakes" should be viewed as little "coaches" that point out to you along the way where you need to focus your efforts. When looked at in this manner, one comes to embrace every failure as yet another chance to improve. Each bitter taste of "asparagus" will only make that bowl of ice cream taste that much better.
Bodybuilding, just like everything else in life is about the journey, not the destination. I was having a discussion with Ian Harrison last weekend about this very thing. We sat in my back yard and Ian informed me that he knows he could do well in competition, but that he was burned out from trying to please other people in terms of what his physique should be. Because of this, he lost the passion and had to step away from the sport. My response to that was to ask him to recall the passion he had when he was 16. Back then, the only thing that mattered to Ian and to most of us was the workout. The training, the journey, that is where the magic lay hidden, awaiting for us to discover it by pushing past the pain and leaving nothing left in the gym. There was no thought about what the judges would think. Who the fuck cares?! The beauty lies in the journey along the way and the mistakes and "failures" that come with it. Realizing this, Ian now has a totally different outlook on bodybuilding, and one that will pair the 16 year old Ian Harrison, who did odd jobs to pay for his gym membership and supplements just so he could get a chance to train, with the 300lb freak that will step on stage for nobody but himself.
Bodybuilding, just like everything else in life is about the journey, not the destination. I was having a discussion with Ian Harrison last weekend about this very thing. We sat in my back yard and Ian informed me that he knows he could do well in competition, but that he was burned out from trying to please other people in terms of what his physique should be. Because of this, he lost the passion and had to step away from the sport. My response to that was to ask him to recall the passion he had when he was 16. Back then, the only thing that mattered to Ian and to most of us was the workout. The training, the journey, that is where the magic lay hidden, awaiting for us to discover it by pushing past the pain and leaving nothing left in the gym. There was no thought about what the judges would think. Who the fuck cares?! The beauty lies in the journey along the way and the mistakes and "failures" that come with it. Realizing this, Ian now has a totally different outlook on bodybuilding, and one that will pair the 16 year old Ian Harrison, who did odd jobs to pay for his gym membership and supplements just so he could get a chance to train, with the 300lb freak that will step on stage for nobody but himself. It is our "failures" that make everything possible. Once you realize this, you will start to achieve your goals faster than you ever thought. Now before I end this article, I would like to point out the other thing that I would tell my students when they would compare their abilities to mine in utter frustration. That is, that each of us shines in different ways. Everyone that is reading this article does something much better than I do and if you put me in their environment I would be the beginner, fucking up left and right. There is nothing wrong with this. You must simply understand that everyone has a gift and shines in a particular way and the arena’s in which we shine are interchangeable and matter not. Often times they are a function of the era we live in. Do you think being good at Golf meant jack-shit 500 years ago? Yet today the media holds up Tiger Woods on a God like pedestal and shits all over bodybuilders. Does this mean that Tiger Woods is better than Dorian Yates or Ronnie Coleman? The point I am trying to leave you with is that if you are getting frustrated in your bodybuilding or life goals, simply take the time to understand two things:
1: Each "Failure" is a gift that if embraced will take you one step closer to your goal
2: Each one of us is a master in some particular area when compared to others. If you look at Dorian Yates and say you can never be like him, that he had it much easier than you, then think again. Because there is something that you can do that he cannot do quite as well. If it is needlepoint then so be it, but understand that you can take the same effort that you applied to needle point and apply it to bodybuilding and then you will be like Dorian and the results that have been alluding you will be just around the corner. What one man can do, another can do…….

[Matt Cena]

THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED
Mr. America’s Gym 1986
by Trevor Smith


The year is 1986. The month is June, June 24th to be exact…my birthday. After a couple of years of walking 2 miles to a bus station to take a 35 minute ride to a racquetball club that has a weight room, I had finally proved that I was serious about lifting to my father, who had agreed to buy me a membership at the local bodybuilding gym in my town.
Now this wasn’t just any gym mind you, it was the famed Mr. America’s gym in Farmingdale, NY. That’s right, the very gym owned by Mr. America and lunatic trainer Steve Michalik. The very gym that John DeFendis spoke about each month in his Intensity or Insanity articles in the now defunct Peak Training Journal. This was the big time as far as I was concerned. A real fucking dungeon with a reputation that was just as bad. I had to prove to my father that I was going to be serious enough to warrant entering such an insane asylum, hence my two years of time spent at the pansy racquetball facility across from the Sunrise Mall in Massapequa, NY.
Mr. America’s had the reputation of being without question the most hard-core bodybuilding gym on the planet. Inside, the walls and equipment (which was all hand made) were painted black to keep with the hard-core, dungeon motif. The rules were simple: Train Hard, or don’t train at all. Michalik cared little about earning any money with his gym and certainly didn’t give a rat’s ass about appealing to the fitness craze of the 1980’s. If anything, he tried to dissuade people from joining. Now my father was/is an imposing man of few words. The fact that he was a police chief made sure that I was always a bit on guard and nervous in his presence. When we walked through the fogged up double doors, the acrid smell of sweat poured over you like a breeze blowing over a landfill. Pure nastiness, and I immediately new I was home.
Now at this point, I knew little of steroids, as did most people. The only thing I knew is that they were bad for you and that I would never, ever use them, so when we reached the front counter to speak to the manager about a membership, both myself and my father were a bit freaked out by the fact that the sign in pen was a 3cc syringe with a ball point pen shoved in it. I also remember being perplexed at the dozens of milky white vials (which I now realize was gold old Winstrol) that lined the back of the small refrigerator that was used to keep the sports drinks cold……"I’ll take a cold Gatorade and 2 vials of winstrol please"….sounds fucked I know, but it is the total truth.
Now my Dad could give a shit about embarrassing me, so the first thing he did was tell the guy at the counter that he did not want his son exposed to Steroids...as he called them. The second thing he did was lean over the counter and ask this monster who was sitting down (well to me he looked like a monster, in actuality, I shit bigger than that guy now and he was a total dick-head) whether or not this gym would be a good place for his son to work out in. I cringed knowing that my dad would never see any of these jerk-offs again, while I would have to walk by them every damn day.
It was right around that time that my Dad turned to me and asked "Now are you sure you are going to use this membership?" I nodded my head as I was still speechless from embarrassment and he plopped down the 225 dollar membership fee. I was then given an appointment to be taken through a workout. At this point I was all excited figuring I would be trained by the legendary Steve Michalik. The king of lunatic bodybuilders! However, that feeling soon faded when I realized I was given an appointment with his brother Pauly. Now you have to understand that Pauly was the complete polar opposite of Steve. A complete geek who soaking wet weighed 135 pounds. My father, deciding I had not been embarrassed enough looks at Pauly and says. You don’t work out, how the hell are you going to show my son what to do…he’s already bigger than you! Looking back on it, it is funny as hell, but at the time, I figured he just signed my death warrant especially when a visible annoyed Pauly looked at my father and said "Believe it or not sir I have been working out for 10 years" as he then washed down his cheeseburger with his 2 liter bottle of cherry Pepsi cola.
If memory serves me correctly, my appointment with Pauly was set for the following Tuesday, and since we were all paid up, I had nothing left to do except go home and wait for my "brutal" session that no-doubt awaited me…(I am being sarcastic in case you cannot tell)

So Tuesday comes and I drive my Redline BMX bicycle up to the gym (also about 30 minutes from my house) in eager anticipation of doing some "serious" training.
Pauly, about as excited as a blind man at a laser light show, greets me at the front desk and asks if I am ready. I thought I was, but clearly I was not. What followed over the next two hours was the biggest waste of my time I had ever spent in a gym. This guy didn’t know jack about shit and constructed a routine that didn’t even include training calves. When I asked him about this he stated. That will come later when you get more advanced.
It was at this point that I knew I was on my own, so I finished up my "session" with Pauly and went home knowing I would have to learn things on my own.
Turns out the only thing I really did know was that I could focus and push myself harder than anyone else in that place—except maybe for Steve Michalik, but at that point it was a rarity to actually see him train as his time was over. I was actually doing more harm then good. I would watch what the other big intimidating guys were doing and would simply copy it for no reason whatsoever. Train long and Train hard…that was the motto of the day. And for the next 18 months that is exactly what I did and I grew very little because of it. I would train until I was sick…go into the back room, puke up in the toilet—all the while noticing the plethora of syringes in the waste basket—then go back out and finish my workout. Then I would go home, and lay down without eating because I had gone way the fuck over-board. Not exactly the smartest thing in the world to do, but hey there really wasn’t all that much information out there, and there certainly weren’t any 300 pound monsters walking around. Back then if you were 260lbs you were a freak of nature and there were only a handful of guys in the country that were that size—except powerlifters of course.
Next time we will continue with my training days at Mr. America’s and how a tragic event in my life resulted in a 30 pound weight gain in less than 2 months! Drug free of course!

[Matt Cena]

THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED PART 2
by Trevor Smith



Let’s see where were we?
Ah yes, Mr. America’s gym circa 1986.
During my 18 months of less than fruitful training, I was always amused by the fact that most of the "Big Boys" in the gym at that time were some of the biggest losers I had ever come across. Guys that I had thought were big in part because I was a young kid and in part because their egos were fucking enormous, were, in retrospect, fucking jokes. Years later I would run into some of them and while they stayed the same, I obviously did not and it kind of reminded me of the first time I went back to my elementary school as an adult. Just as I could not get over how small in stature some of my teachers were and how small the desks and tables were (because I remembered them as being GIANTS), I could not get over that I was actually impressed with the guys that were in the gym during my early days at Mr. America’s. But that is neither here nor there. The whole point I am trying to make is that during that 18 month span, nobody and I mean nobody was there to help me. There were plenty of delusional egos, but that was about it. I remember going up to the counter and asking this jerk off by the name of Kenny (who was 3-4 years older than me, and juiced to the fucking gills) if he had any suggestions for me to put on some size. Without so much as looking up at me he pointed to the cabinet that contained some MLO Milk and Egg protein powder and that was the extent of his interaction with me.
I, of course, checked off the "DICK-HEAD" box in my brain. Funny thing is, about a year or so after that event, this tool shed came up to me to congratulate me on putting on the size that I did. I again checked off the "DICK-HEAD" box in my brain because it showed me the type of person he was. I was not worth his efforts when I was a 185-pound kid looking for advice…..but when I was 235lbs. and the same size as him, I warranted the respect of him saying something to me. It was events like those that made me realize if I ever had the opportunity to help someone who was just starting out, achieve their goals a little faster, I would. I knew what it was like to have nobody to turn to and nobody willing to give me advice. I guess it was a good thing because it made me rather self-reliant and introspective. FUCK THEM ALL became my motto. I was going to do it by myself and more importantly I was going to do it harder and better and all without succumbing to the temptation of taking the easy path that this Kenny and the others took by hopping on the sauce at an age when their body was producing more than enough testosterone on it’s own. No sir, I was going to do something that nobody ever took the time to do, I was going to maximize my natural potential before ever even considering playing around with gear.

Thus, began my quest. It was 1987 at this point, my senior year of high school. At the start of football season I weighed in at 196lbs. at a height of 6’1" and I was 17 years old. I was still over training and more importantly under eating. During this time I was consumed with getting a football scholarship, yet all the while I dreamed about being able to pursue bodybuilding on a full time basis. As anyone who plays football knows, you only get about 6 months out of each year to devote to serious training and that is assuming you don’t get any injuries. So even back then I knew where my heart lay. But, I was stupidly playing to the wishes of other people and succumbing to the pressure. Football was a good thing, an honorable thing, something you could be proud of in the world I lived in. Where as bodybuilding was looked at as a joke and just for guys that "took lots of steroids". This always bothered me, but hey I was a young kid and it would only be a few more years before I broke free of other peoples desires and spent time doing what I wanted to do and loved.
Got sidetracked a little bit there. O.K., so it is the late fall of 1987 and football season is coming to a close and wrestling season is about to begin. My buddy Mike was projected to win the state championships that year in the heavyweight division and needed someone strong to work out with. I always wanted to go out for wrestling and figured why not give it a try. Turns out it was something I wished I would have started sooner because I was a bit of a natural at the whole grappling game. However that is another story, the point I am making here is that I was immersed in another full time exhaustive sport for 3 months that was not conducive to the bodybuilding life-style. I still wasn’t eating anywhere near much as what I needed to be eating and still over-training to a great extent.
As the wrestling season started to come to a close in the early winter of 1988, my family was faced with a great tragedy. Five years earlier, my Aunt Kathy, who was full of zest and full of life and always one my favorite people, aside from being my mom’s best friend and sister, was diagnosed with stomach cancer. After 3 years of intensive ChemoTherapy, she had gone into remission, at least so we thought. It basically came out after she died that she was given only a couple of more years to live back in 1986 when she said her cancer was gone and this brought us to January 1988.
Everything seemed to be fine with my Aunt and then all of a sudden she was in dire straits. Of course I now realize that the "all of a sudden" was merely her being strong and not showing the pain she had been in on a constant basis for the past year or so. All along she knew what nobody else knew, that she was dying.
I remember being awoken one night at about 11:00pm and told by my father and brother that we were going to have to go up to my Grandmothers house (where my Aunt Kathy had been moved to when her condition worsened) to join the rest of our extended family in saying goodbye to her. The truth was cold and emotionless, I was going to have to go and say goodbye to a woman that I had known and loved all my life. I was going to have to watch as her once strong body and spirit (now an 80lb. shell of itself) slowly and painfully drifted into deaths cold hands, never to utter another kind word of support to me and never again to come to my defence when my mother and father were being a bit to heavy handed in their disciplinary beliefs with me.
She was the one relative of mine that always believed in what I was doing and thought my love of bodybuilding was the greatest thing in the world even when everyone else though it was nothing more than an adolescent pipe dream.
I can recall how I went up to the couch that she lay dying on and leaned over to give her a final kiss and say goodbye. I tried to be strong and talk about my future plans, but it was of no use. She was too weak to lift her head up and too weak to put her arms around me. I lost it.
I have little problem with the entire issue of death, but to watch someone who was so strong be stripped of all that they were and lay in an almost skeletonized state before my very eyes with each gasping breath bringing them one step closer to death was very hard for me to take. I wanted to take away her pain, but I knew I couldn’t. My mother stayed by her side and she died several hours later. I never cried for her again, for I knew her suffering was over. Even at her wake and funeral when people were in such drastic states of hysteria and pain, I was emotionless. I knew she was in a better place and I knew her suffering was over. I was not going to cry for my loss or for anyone elses loss because that would be selfish. She went through hell and back again and I was glad her journey of torture was over. However, the one thing that I did do, was promise myself that I would make her proud. It became almost an obsession. I was not going to let her down and I was going to prove to everyone that her unwavering belief in my love for bodybuilding was not for nothing!
I can remember sitting in the funeral home with my freshly purchased copy of Arnold’s Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding. All my other relatives thought is was disrespectful and tasteless, but I knew it was what my Aunt would have wanted; for me to use her death as a pillar on which to devote myself to my dream. From that day forward that book had become my bible. I read every page over and over again. More importantly I payed strict attention to the section on diet and gaining weight and it was that day in the funeral home that I made a promise to both my deceased Aunt and myself that I was going to get super focused with my diet and training.
The first step in that focus was to put on some much needed weight and to do that I had to start getting structured and to start eating.
When I had first started lifting weights, one of the police officers that worked under my father had given him a bunch of old Flex magazines to give to me. I was mesmorized by them, and in particular one issue.
There was a small article in this particluar issue on an up and coming teen sensation named Shane DiMora. Some of you may recall Shane as I believe he was the youngest man ever to turn pro at the age of 19. But this article was written a few years before he turned pro. I think he was 16 at the time it was written and I remember seeing his picture standing next to Cory Everson and I was shocked. At age 16 he was 202lbs. (he was only 5’3") and his thickness was astounding. That image always stuck in my mind, so when I made the pact with myself to get serious and start putting on size, I dug up that old picture of Shane Dimora and cut it out. I pasted it to my wall. I decided I was going to be proportionally as big or bigger than that little freak Shane DiMora and that meant I needed to reach a weight of 230lbs. since I was 6’1".
I marked off on the calander when I would accomplish this by. It was the beginning of February, one week after my Aunt Kathy’s death and I was giving myself until June 15th of 1988 to achieve my goal. I was 194lbs. (two pounds lighter than when I started my senior year of High School) and had just 4 months to put on a solid 36lbs. For the first time in my life everything was crystal clear. I had a clear purpose, a path that I needed to adhere to and one that I would travel all alone, and that is what I liked about it the most.
Next time we will pick up where I left off and discuss what it was that I did during that 4 months, the things I encountered along the way and whether or not I was able to achieve my goal.

[Matt Cena]

The Road Less Traveled Part 3

by Trevor Smith

So I made my pact and now I had four months to get the job down. Little did I know it would be a lot easier than I thought! You have to understand that at this point in my life, I was still under the delusion that one could achieve the kind of physiques that you saw in the bodybuilding magazines without steroids. Hard work was all I thought I needed. The mountain of mis-information that was around about steroids was enough to fill the fucking Grand Canyon. So things like: "steroids really don’t work, they’re just dangerous and will get you sick" and "all steroids do is help you achieve the physique at a faster rate"…so on and so forth. I didn’t know any better. I knew steroids worked, and knew they worked big time just from watching the guys in the gym, but I honestly thought you didn’t need them. Turns out I was both right and wrong, but my blind faith was a massive blessing because I never had the least bit of doubt on what I could achieve without the use of drugs. I pulled out the training routine that was briefly outlined in Arnold’s Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding and put it together with the one I had been following. Basically that meant scaling back the number of sets I was doing and therefor getting more rest. I began my new routine, but more importantly I began my new focus and new eating pattern. I became religious in achieving my goal. This meant continual feeding, and for the first time in my life I actually did so. Young kids are funny. They think they are eating a lot if they eat a lot at one sitting. They don’t factor into account that they don’t have another crumb of food for 4 hours, but they think because they ate 6 slices of pizza that they eat a lot. Then they wonder: "How come I can’t gain any weight?" My answer is always the same: "You may think your eating a lot, but you are not! A starving dog could probably eat half of a fucking dead cow in one sitting, but that don’t mean it’s gonna gain a massive amount of weight from that one meal!" And that is what has to be done, continual gorging! Stretching the stomach wall by stuffing yourself with so much food that you feel sick. After a few weeks of this, you will be able to utilize more and more food, will have a bigger and bigger capacity to eat and therefor be able to take in a greater amount of calories and nutrition. Now at age 17, my metabolism was a fucking blast furnace, as it is for all kids at this age who are not obese and who are very active. My concern, was simply to get in a high amount of nutrients and more importantly calories. 6000 calories per day to be exact, and that is what I did every day for the 4 months. Because my metabolism was so high, there was no concern for counting fat content in my diet (although I was not cramming donuts and cookies down my throat). My calories came from lots of red meat and lots of dairy products and lots of fruit juice. Typically I would wake in the morning and eat 6 whole eggs with a buttered bagel along with 2 glasses of whole milk. Then I would go off to school. My schedule in my senior year of high school permitted me to go home again at around 10:30am because I had a free period. So, everyday, I would come home for 40 minutes and consume 4 glasses of whole milk and a bagel with 6 slices of american cheese and a healthy smearing of cream cheese. Back to school I went and would eat again around 12:30 in the cafeteria with my buddy. I would get a double lunch of either pizza or hamburgers with 4 glasses of whole milk. Then I would go home after my classes were done, which was around 1:30, and I would have a half pound of ground beef along with a few glasses of apple juice or fruit punch or iced tea. After I digested and relaxed a bit, I would go to the gym and train. Just the basics: Incline presses, flat dumbbell presses, standing military presses, curls, squats, leg presses, hack squats, calf raises, tricep extensions, etc. I went as heavy as I could and kept the reps in the 6-8 range. Within a few weeks, shit started changing. I remember going to my family doctor for a check up and when I got on the scale—which was the first time I was on a scale since February, I was 214lbs! I had gained 20lbs. in four weeks and I didn’t even realize I did. This did nothing but fuel my motivation even further. Now I was pumped. My bodyfat was staying the same, but I was just filling out, literally exploding! My XL T-shirts which fit comfortably and roomy were now getting tighter and tighter. Another month went by and I was up another 10 pounds. At this point, I started to feel the ramifications of achieving your goals: Jealousy! I began to hear whispers of "He uses steroids, there is no way he could get that big that fast!" or "He’s on something, I know it for sure!" I was amazed and hurt at the same time. It really bothered me that people thought I was using gear. I was dead set against using steroids at the time and here I was busting my ass, training and eating like a man possessed, and people were shitting on it and trying to take my achievements away by crediting steroid use. Around the middle of May, I was 230lbs. and now everywhere I went I would hear the rumors about how much steroids I took. It really made me angry and sick. I guess I should have taken it as a compliment, but I did not. What really started to bother me was when I was in one of my classes and the teacher said in front of the whole class "stop popping those pills Trevor". I was totally fucking shocked. I asked him to repeat himself and he did, but he tried to make it like he was joking with me, but the damage was already done. Now I had another 30 people who were convinced I was a "Roid Head" as they so aptly put it. I would hear stories about people telling other people that they saw me go into the locker room at Mr. America’s and get "shot up" by the owner, or that they saw me buying steroids from one of the guys in the gym. Complete and total fabrications every fucking one of those stories, and I was just amazed that people would have so little going on in their lives that they would completely make up a total lie to try and tarnish my achievements. To this very day, if you spoke with people who were in my graduating class you would have a great number of them tell you that I used steroids way back then and they would "Know it for a fact!" As much as this bothered the shit out of me, it was nothing compared to what I felt when I found out my really close friends were telling people that "I had to be using something." That really hurt. These were people who witnessed day in and day out what I was doing and putting myself through yet they not only believed the rumors other people were spreading about me, they were confirming them to these fucking idiots! Of course, they denied saying anything, but I found out from people I knew and trusted and who were older, that they did, in fact, say those things. I guess that is the price one has to pay for any type of success. There will always be someone there waiting to kick you down. It is a rare person that chooses to build themselves up so they achieve more, most people spend their lives tearing others down so they can appear to be higher up. In any event, it was now June 15th. I had already achieved my goal, so stepping on the scale was only a formality, but it was a fun one. When I got on the scale, it read 237lbs.! I had gained nearly 45lbs. in four months. Regardless of what others were saying I was very happy with what I achieved. And like a true bodybuilder all I wanted to do, was see the scale jump even higher. Now as I look back, the reason why I was able to gain so much size and weight in such a short time without any drugs was simple: For two years I was over-training and under-eating, and once I started feeding my system , getting adequate calories to grow and getting adequate rest, I rebounded like a bodybuilder after a competition. The size I gained was size that I would have had spread out over the past year and a half had I eaten sufficient nutrients and calories. Interestingly enough, my "friend" who I found out was telling everyone that I was using steroids, tried to convince me that it would me smarter to go into college football camp not weighing more than 230lbs. His exact words were: "Trevor, 230lbs. is more than enough for you to weigh as a freshman college football player." I immediately told him "Yeah, but 240lbs. would be even better!" Of course, at the same time he was asking me for all my "secrets" so that he could put on size. That kind of put a kink in our friendship for a good 4 years. We were still friendly, but not the same. Eventually though, after we graduated college and were both a lot more mature, we got close again. After I reached my goal, I began to realize that I could excel in bodybuilding or anything for that matter if I just focused. Nothing was going to stop me. Before that point I thought 250lbs. was the heaviest weight in the world and certainly never envisioned myself at that weight. Now I had my mind set on just growing, growing and growing. I had no idea where the train was going, and I did not care, I was loving the shit out of the ride. One month later I flew down to the University of Central Florida, to fulfill everyone else's expectation of playing college football. Even so, I was already obsessed with bodybuilding and spent every free moment reading everything I could on it. I knew it was only a matter of time before I pursued it full time, but that is another story for another time. If you take away anything from this article I hope that it is above all else, human will is the most powerful tool at your finger tips. Steroids work yes, as does proper nutrition, training and rest, but without the will to walk the path—and it can be a very solitary and lonely path—all the drugs, training and food in the world won’t do a damn thing to get you where you want to go. Stay Focused!

[Matt Cena]

How Far Are You Willing To Go?
The Need to KILL THE EGO To Achieve Your Goals. By Trevor Smith

During the time of the Samarui, they referred to it as "cutting off the head". Not actual physical decapitation, but rather a decapitation of the mental kind. Now, we refer to it with more civilized verbiage, "Losing the ego."
Just why is this so important? Why do so many people with great possibilities turn out falling short of their potential goals because of their inability to loose their ego?
As a teacher-of both martial arts and physique augmentation-I have encountered countless people who have egos the size of African Bull Elephants. The interesting thing I discovered is that there is often little merit, if any, to the ownership of such egos. In other words, the people with huge egos almost never have anything behind them in terms of achievement: Legends in their own minds. They seem to be viewing themselves with a distorted vision and look down at others is if they are not worthy or fit to be in their presence…. even though these "others" that they so disrespect in their thoughts and actions, may be much more accomplished, knowledgeable, kind-hearted…more of a human being than these disillusioned individuals can imagine.
One of the things I learned very quickly in my studies, was that EVERYONE and EVERYTHING -yes, including the afore mentioned egomaniacs-- has something wonderful and special to offer…and it is the fool that looks past these gifts. I would have students that were such poor athletes, struggling with the simplest of concepts, capable of showing me more about life than black belts with 20 years experience. Others would look at them as inept or unteachable. So they would possibly ignore them or give up on them altogether. I made a conscious effort to keep my eyes and ears open to all my students, and then, when I least expected it, they would unknowingly teach me a huge lesson providing me with amazingly powerful knowledge.
I am reminded of this one student that I taught that was just about a seemingly hopeless in the dojo. His mind would always wander (probably from A.D.D.) and his physical skills were severely lacking. His confidence was non-existent and he was pretty much an outcast from his peer group. However, day in and day out, this child would show up for my classes and consistently falter. Whether it was learning a self defense pattern, sparring, grappling practice, or some sort of cardio-vascular/body coordination drill…it was a lock that this kid would mess up, lose his match and finish dead last. Yet there he would be, every day standing in the doorway of the Dojo with a smile on his face and a, "Hello Sensei Trevor," out of his mouth. It finally dawned on me one day, when I was asking myself why it was that this child gave such effort with such little result? "Who the hell am I to quantify results by external measuring?" Who was I to assume that because this child learned at a rate that was many, many times slower than the norm, that he was not still learning and receiving internal gains that were immeasurable? If a snail moves an inch in one month and spends 5 years in the struggle to move forward…it will have moved FORWARD 60 inches! Just because I can move 60 inches in a few seconds does not mean that the snail's accomplishments are meaningless. I realized that any improvement IS a major success. For me to decide that there must be a certain amount of improvement or it's worth is useless is limited thinking and narrow minded. So I learned a tremendously valuable lesson from this child, any improvement, no matter how small, tiny or unnoticeable to anyone else, is still an improvement.
In bodybuilding, I cannot tell you the number of people that I encounter or hear about that attempt to discredit what I am, and all that I have offered simply because I have not stepped foot on a competition stage. It seems that their egos have a need to discredit me in some way because they feel uncomfortable giving me credit for some reason. This discomfort stems from their egos and their incorrect thinking that crediting someone else in bodybuilding is somehow detracting from their own accomplishments. I find this strange because my mind is inspired when I am around those that are achieving success. I am inspired when I see Jay Cutler transforming his physique into a 270lbs. shredded freak and taking the world lead in the sport of bodybuilding. I am inspired by the size and thickness of Markus Ruhl, I am inspired by the persistence of Lee Priest and his winning his first Pro show after a year of hell and disappointment. I am inspired by the symmetry of Amhed Haidar and I am even inspired by the fact that King Kamali puts his money where is mouth is and shows up in razor shape condition, time after time.
The knee-jerk reaction of the weak minded and ego driven is to make that which causes discomfort to go away…either by ignoring it, running from it, or attacking it (verbally speaking). Rather than looking at the situation and deciding what one can learn from it and apply it to their own endeavors. The 200 pound pro bodybuilder that discredits me as being someone to take advice from simply because I have yet to compete, would be much better served if they said, "Hmmm… here is a guy that has a tremendous amount of muscle mass and knowledge to help others gain more mass…maybe I should listen to what he has to say, because if I add 5 pounds more to my physique, I will be that much better a pro and whether or not Trevor ever steps on stage, has nothing to do with the fact that he is educated, well spoken and has a large amount of muscle mass himself."
In any of my endeavors, I make a concerted effort not to have an ego. I never go around saying that I am great, wonderful, awesome and better than everyone else. I am not after adulation and admiration. In fact, one of my many weaknesses is that I really don't know how to handle compliments all that well. I try and work as hard as I can, have passion in what I do, and share my beliefs and information to help enhance the lives of others. Not for monetary gains, but for internal gains. I really enjoy being a positive impact on people's lives. The thing I loved most about teaching was that I had a chance to take a child that was going down a path of insecurity and provide them with confidence and a belief in themselves as wonderfully imperfect, perfect creatures that can do and be anything they want to be. One of the repeated mistakes I have seen is the ego that often gets in the way of achieving success. A narrow mind will always equal narrow and limited results. The most powerful thing one can do for themselves is to keep an open mind to absorb as much knowledge as possible from every possible source and situation.
A boxing coach often sits in the corner of the ring, with a cigar in one corner of his mouth, a cheeseburger in the other, one hand scratching his head and the other resting comfortably around his huge belly. This picture of horrendous health should not, on the surface, warrant the respect of the muscular animal in the ring that is receiving the tongue lashing from this mess. But it does! Why? …Because knowledge is knowledge and it doesn't matter what it looks like on the outside. However, what happens if the outside appearance of the knowledge is somewhat threatening? Usually that is where the ego steps in, gets bruised for some moronic reason, and chases away or discredits the knowledge and this is something that I see extensively in bodybuilding.
This is why the Samurai would talk about the need to "cut off the head" before they could teach a student. If someone thinks they are all knowing, then how can you instruct them? It is the law of the land that there will always be someone bigger, better, smarter and faster than any one person at any given time. So it is the wise man that keeps his options open and is always striving for more knowledge from any possible source.
Look, it is not comfortable to realize that you are not all you think you are. The ego doesn't like it when it is made to feel less than 100%. This is often why you will rarely see numerous top bodybuilders training in the same facility. Everyone likes to be the big fish and get all the attention and compliments…everyone that lets their ego dictate things that is. You can either choose to be a big fish in a little pond and surround yourself with people who tell you how great you are, or you can expand your horizons by taking yourself out of your comfort zone, surrounding yourself with people who are better than you in various areas, so you can consistently improve yourself, raising your weak points and shortcomings.
When I was more heavily into the Martial Arts, I tried to expose myself to Masters of all different styles so I could see things from different perspectives, allowing myself to gain a well-rounded education. I would go to various seminars and notice something interesting (particularly when grappling started to become popular). So called "Masters" of traditional martial arts would always make sure that they were NEVER taken out of their comfort zone. They would organize seminars for boxing or grappling experts to come into town so their students can learn, but they themselves would NEVER take the class or get onto the mat. Why? EGO! They did not want to look inferior in the eyes of their students. They did not want to get onto the mat wearing their multi-striped belt displaying their lofty black-belt rank and look like a novice at the hands of Master from another art form. Basically, they did not want to look human, vulnerable or less than "all knowing, all powerful" in front of their students. What they did not realize is that in allowing their ego to dictate their actions, they became exactly what they were trying to avoid. I once trained with Benny The Jet Urquidez (actually I trained a number of times with Benny) and I was thankful that I had the chance to be in the same room as him. To me, he was a true warrior and a true Master. He had zero Ego. He would teach a class or seminar and then, when another Instructor (from a style different from Benny's) came onto the floor to teach, Benny would be right there with the lower level students, training with them and struggling with brand new ideas and techniques from an art he knew nothing about but hungrily wanted to absorb as much from as possible. Watching him do this was more valuable to be than any left jab, front kick, right cross, bob left, hook left, bob right, hook right combination he taught me.
The other thing I tend to notice in bodybuilding is justification as a means to soothe the Ego. Usually, if bodybuilders see a guy who has a huge amount of muscle mass-a lot more than they do-often their response is: "Yeah, he's big BUT… Then the barrage of excuses come: " He's holding a lot of water," "He's also got some fat," "He's taller than me so he can carry more muscle mass, but proportionally I am bigger than him," " If I took as much stuff as he did, I could be that big," " His arms are too big for the rest of his body, he's blocky," "He's 2 years older than me, so I still have time on my side and I will be bigger than him when I am his age." Oh the Ego saving contorted logic goes on and on and on. Is it that difficult to admit that someone else is impressive, too? Must the ego always enter in and knock things down so it feels better and less threatened?
The latest thing in bodybuilding is the comment, "Yeah, but his arms and delts are full of oil…he uses tons of synthol." You hear this about Marcus Ruhl all the time. Whether or not it is true, is not the point. The point is, Markus looks freaky and awesome, so whatever he is doing, he is doing correctly and it looks good! Suddenly, everything is attributed to synthol. However, for the past 30 years, bodybuilders have been site- injecting steroids into body parts (calves, biceps, triceps, shoulders, quads, pecs and lats). But for some strange reason, everything is now the result of synthol. Again, there are instances of people using synthol-type products and having retarded, fake looking muscle. However, if someone looks freaky, it is now because of synthol. "Jay's shoulders are huge and round and full…it must be from synthol." Another comment heard, "Markus Ruhl's chest is huge and striated…Yup, synthol again!" You can't have any outstanding body parts these days without having some ego driven person (who is annoyed that you look that much bigger and better than they do) credit your achievements to anything but your own hard work and efforts in the gym. Amazingly enough, the people who make these cries are almost always smaller bodybuilders who have no freakiness or outstanding size or body parts. This is better known as "Small Man's Complex." Wouldn't people love to know that some of the people making these cries, particularly on the professional level in bodybuilding, have purchased bottles of Site Enhancement Oil from me when getting ready for their shows? Seems they are not against the use of injecting oils into the muscle belly to get a lifting effect and a bigger looking muscle…they are only against those people who get bigger and better looking results than they do! They have no problem with round, full delts and big thick triceps and peaked biceps…if it is on their body! Put it on someone else's body though and they scream, kick and cry, "It's not fair, this is an outrage…wah…wah…wah…my ego hurts 'cuz his arms and shoulders are bigger than mine." Babies! Stop crying and pay more attention to those who are more accomplished than you in ANY given area. Maybe then you will learn something. Until you crush your ego driven nature, you will always be a few steps behind those who have "Cut off their head" long ago.

[Matt Cena]

Snap Shots From The Beyond Failure Training Video
http://web.archive.org/web/20040304081819/http://www.nuclearnutrition.net/gfx/Pictures%20of%20Trevor%20Smith%20From%20The%20Beyo nd%20Failure%20Training%20Video/765lbs.%20incline%20mid%20point.jpg
The following are snap shots taken during the filming of Trevor L. Smith's long awaited
BEYOND FAILURE TRAINING VIDEO.
The Beyond Failure Training Video was shot during one week of Trevor's last mass training cycle in April , 2003. All lifts are well documented and refernced as 100% legit. The video and testimonials of those present will be proof of the legitimate weights, size and strength.
Trevor's bodyweight in the pics and in the video was around 410lbs....somedays more...somedays less. Hopefully these pictures will inspire many to train to their maximal levels and learn that the most powerful muscle in "Beyond Failure Training TM" is the mind.
It is important to understand that Trevor does not train for the purposes of being a strong man or a powerlifter....he respects both of these type of athletes tremendously and in return garners tremendous amounts of respect from many world record holding Powerlifters, Bench Press specialist and Squat specialists. Through his years of dedication to the "Iron" and the "Martial Arts," he has been able to excel in strength and size and feels pleased to share that knowledge as well as his own accomplishment proving his training theories and years of efforts to create them. He has been fortunate to have been recognized and hired by top professional athletes and top professional bodybuilders including top Mr. Olympia Contender Jay Cutler whom aside from being a personal friend of Trevor's, Trevor is very honored and excited to be of assistance to and take an already amazing and freakish physique and make it even better. To have someone of Jay Cutler's stature and accomplish acknowledge Trevor's accomplishments and training intensity and knowledge in the field of bodybuilding and, in particular, adding muscle mass means a great deal to Trevor. Jay Cutler has trained under Trevor in the Beyond Failure Training Center and has experienced first hand the power and intensity of Trevor's training system and knowledge and it is Trevor's hope that his knowledge combined with Jay's own will be of tremendous help in securing the title of Mr. Olympia, a title that many feel was rightfully his in 2001.
Trevor firmly believes that through his many, many unique techniques that he uses in the ever evolving system he created called, "Beyond Failure Training TM," he will continue to gain tremendous strength along with tremendous size. Regardless of the incredible poundage that he routinely lifts, Trevor does not train for MAX lifts as all his pressing movements are done AFTER EXTREMELY HEAVY AND EXTREMELY EXTENSIVE PRE-EXHAUST WITH ISOLATION MOVEMENTS which is a cornerstone of his training system.
Trevor also has come to an understanding that there are many non-believers and lots of negative comments and gossip that the weights he uses are fake, that his bodyfat is 30%, that since he has not yet competed in bodybuilding his size and strength are somehow irrelevant, that his pictures are graphically enhanced, or that he wears shoulder pads etc. He further understands the nature of the internet and the ease of its anonimity to dispute, discredit and insult. This is inevitable when you put yourself out there and exposure yourself so one must take the good with the bad. Regardless of those comments, there are many that use the photos and information of Trevor's writings, knowledge about his training system, "Beyond Failure Training TM," mass theories, and philosphies (including many well accomplished and well established professional athletes) to enhance their own training and lives. It is for those people that look, read and become more informed that this is for.
*All photos are the property sole property of Trevor L. Smith, The Beyond Failure Training Center LLC and Nuclear Nutrition LLC Copyright 2003. U.S. PATENT & TRADEMARK LAWS strictly enforced. Kindly fax 702-365-1651 or email info@nuclearnutrition for permission to hyperlink or copy photos. Any unauthorized reproduction, and or copying of the pictures for any public viewing on other websites, written publications or any manner is strictly forbidden and considered theft of content. Violators WILL be prosecuted and the websites posting the photos will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

The information displayed below is for entertainment purposes only. No liability is assumed by Trevor L. Smith, Beyond Failure Training LLC or Nuclear Nutrition LLC.

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Chest Day....Pre-Exhaust set with the "Flex 30 Degree Pec Contractor" at 500lbs. (since the machine is designed normally to hold a 200lbs. stack and Trevor's machine was customized with a 300lbs stack....the people at Flex Equipment would probably not be too warranty friendly seeing the extra 45lbs. plates and the dumbbells added to the stack
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Trevor getting some "Extreme Forced Reps TM" after hitting failure with the 500lbs....of course, the video shows the entire set complete with all the drop sets and "Extreme Forced RepsTM"
http://web.archive.org/web/20040304081819/http://www.nuclearnutrition.net/gfx/Pictures%20of%20Trevor%20Smith%20From%20The%20Beyo nd%20Failure%20Training%20Video/765lbs.%20incline%20mid%20point.jpg
After pre-exhausting the pecs....it was on to incline bench presses on the Smith Machine with a starting weight of 765lbs. and continuing with drop sets and very unique style, "Zero Momentum RepsTM" called "EXTREME ZERO MOMENTUM REPS TM"...a technique that Trevor has not written about or shown to many people.
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Shoulders: Pre-Exhausting with a triple drop set of seated laterals.....starting weight: 150lbs. Dumbbells...Again, the video will have the complete set and the unique style these are done in to completely isolate and pre-exhaust the lateral delt.
http://web.archive.org/web/20040304081819/http://www.nuclearnutrition.net/gfx/Pictures%20of%20Trevor%20Smith%20From%20The%20Beyo nd%20Failure%20Training%20Video/675lbs.%20front%20shoulder%20press%202.jpg
Then on to Front Shoulder Presses on the "Smith Machine"...Starting weight: 675lbs.....and once again adding never before seen techniques to increase difficulty and intensity...This Video Is, Without Question, The Most Intense Training Video EVER Filmed...
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After Shoulder Presses...it was on to Triceps training.....Starting with Close Grip Bench Presses With 585lbs. to start and ending in a whole lot of pain and an inability to lift the arms after the multiple strip/drop sets and forced reps...note the unwrapped thumb technique used throughout all Trevor's pressing movements.....subtle changes like this can dramatically increase the intensity of a set..WARNING : DO NOT ATTEMPT WITHOUT COMPETENT AND ADEQUATE SPOTTERS AND ALWAYS START WITH A LIGHT WEIGHT SO YOU CAN GET USED TO THE TECHNIQUE.
http://web.archive.org/web/20040304081819/http://www.nuclearnutrition.net/gfx/Pictures%20of%20Trevor%20Smith%20From%20The%20Beyo nd%20Failure%20Training%20Video/Trevor%20%20Back%20Row%20prep%2011%20plates.jpg
After Pre-Exhausting On The "Nautilus Plate Loaded Pullover" (sorry guys....didn't get those pics) Trevor moves on to a Power Set on the Nebula Heavy Duty Low Row Machine (Eleven 45lbs. Plates Per Side)....(due to its floating arms/handles....this incredible machine is much more difficult than a standard "Hammer" Low Row Machine and thus completely tortures the back from multiple angles.
http://web.archive.org/web/20040304081819/http://www.nuclearnutrition.net/gfx/Pictures%20of%20Trevor%20Smith%20From%20The%20Beyo nd%20Failure%20Training%20Video/Trevor%20between%20Sides%20nebula%20row%20april%20 2003.jpg
This picture was taken between sets....here Trevor is adjusting his belt and catching his wind before finishing up with the left side on the Nebula Heavy Duty Low Row Machine....
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Trevor in mid rep on what he calls the "Most Intense Piece Of Back Equipment Ever Developed."....It is an "Iso Mid Row Machine" made by "Nebula".....although you cannot see it clearly in this picture....it has two floating arms that move outward and inward as you pull back and the handles rotate 360 degrees......the amount of stress this puts on the lats is amazing.....it is a very, very, very hard machine and way more difficult that even free weights or dumbbell rows due to its unique design. Although it is loaded with Six 45lbs. plates..... according to Trevor this is like using the" Hammer" DY row with Twelve 45lbs. plates per side (which is impossible to load on to the "Hammer" DY machine) yet even that cannot compare if it were possible due to the "Floating" nature of the arms on this machine and the fact that your wrists rotate throughout the movement....thus making it a very DYNAMIC movement which is much harder than a standard plate loaded back machine which are mostly STATIC in their movements. Hats off to" Nebula" on this back/lat torture device as Trevor's face is worth a thousand words.
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After an extremely intense pre-exhaust set of leg extensions with unique variants of Z.M.R.'s that yielded tremendous amounts of blowtorch burning pain to the quads..
Trevor mentally readies himself for a set starting with nearly 2,500lbs. on his customized Pendulum Power Squat Machine. A custom built machine made with 1:1 ratio to mimic almost identically the feeling of a standard free bar squat.

http://web.archive.org/web/20040304081819/http://www.nuclearnutrition.net/gfx/Pictures%20of%20Trevor%20Smith%20From%20The%20Beyo nd%20Failure%20Training%20Video/Trevor%20post%20set%20pump%20after%20back%20traini ng.jpg
This shot was taken literally 2 seconds before Trevor puked into his gym bag.....

That's all for now....STAY TUNED TO THE WEBSITE AND THE FORUM FOR THE RELEASE OF:

Trevor L. Smith's

BEYOND FAILURE TRAINING VIDEO

FILMED ENTIRELY AT THE

BEYOND FAILURE TRAINING CENTER

"The Weak Shall Perish..."

[Matt Cena]

RETURNING FROM A LAYOFF....THE DO'S AND DON'TS TO GET BACK INTO THE GROOVE SAFE AND SOUND.
by Trevor L. Smith
Let's face it...IT SUCKS! After a long layoff, whethe rit is intentional or due to illness or injury, it can be very frustrating due to the fact hat you are constantly reminded that you are not where you were before in terms of size, strength, and condtion. However, layoffs are often out of our control and also neccessary to avoid burnout. So let's talk about a few things that invariably come up when coming off a layoff, and how to make the transition from being relatively sedentary to getting back to your physical form before the layoff-and even surpassing it-a smooth one.
Too Much...Too Fast...Too Soon:
This is a problem that can result in giving you a quick return to another layoff or even a permanent one, if you are careless enough. Here's the scenario: A bodybuilder comes down with the flu while he is in the middle of a mass course. Everything is going great...he is stronger than ever, bigger than ever and leaner than ever. On top of the world! Then it hits...at first it seems just to be a slight cold...but reality quickly sets in: INFLUENZA! Now, instead of realizing that you cannot do anything but rest, most bosybuilders will try and continue to train until it is physically impossible, instead of listening to their bodies and giving it a rest...FROM EVERYTHING. I am amazed at the questions I have received. "Trevor, I am sick with the flu and I can't train...but I am in the middle of a cycle...should I continue taking the drugs? I don't want to lose size." Man oh man...God help these idiots. Lose size? You are sick with a virus that kills thousands and thousands of people each year and you are worried about losing size? the only thing you can and should do when you have the Flu is rest, and drink lots and lots of liquids. If you are in the middle of a steroid cycle, stop everything...the drugs will not work. Your body is not going to worry about building muscle while it fights off a virus such as influenza. Do yourself a favor and realize that you will be down for a minimum of two weeks...possibly three...and do everything you can to assist your body in the recovery process. Instead, the typical bodybuilder is so insecure about losing size, that they will rest until they feel the slightest bit better... then return to the gym... going through an unproductive workout and best of all, causing the virus or illness to linger for a longer time period. Instead of resting 2-3 weeks and being sure your body is fully recovered...they wind up getting pneumonia on top of things and are out for 3 months. Then they really will have something to cry about in terms of "losing size." Be smart when you are returning from a layoff. be sure that you are fully functioning and healthy and completely ready to return to the gym...physically and mentally.
Feeling Depressed/Sad Because You Aren't Where You Want To Be:
It is tough climbing back up the mountain once you are on top, but such is life. You cannot make a continual climb to the top. Sometimes, when you reach new heights, you must take a few steps back to see where you have been and to see where you are going. It is quite normal to feel a bit depressed when you hit your first new workouts after a layoff. Understand that it is all a process and that soon you will be right back to where you were and if you train hard enough...even better than you were before. One of the treasures of a layoff is that it causes you to examine your ego and learn to disgaurd it as the useless entity that it is. Your ego is what is causing the feeling of depression of inadequacy that comes over you when you see people who you are normally bigger than or stronger than who are now bigger and stronger than you since your layoff. Instead of festering with these feelings, view these people who are now ahead of you as inspirtion. Do this and they won't be ahead of you for long, I gurantee it! But if you go home, get frusterated, angered, think you can remedy the situation by pushing yourself too hard and start injecting greater than normal amounts of gear, you are only fooling yourself.
Losing Patience:
This was touched upon in the above paragraph, but we shall get a little more detailed here. Look, there is nothing you can do except doing. Wanting things to move faster than they are going will accomplish nothing. Simply put, it is going to take you some time to build back to where you were before your layoff. Not much time, but it will still take time, and you will be better served if you realize this and enjoy your journey, rather than looking at the clock and waiting to arrive at your destination.
Look, nobody is a machine...and machines aren't even machines in that they need down time, repairs and maintenance just as we do. Layoffs are going to occur. Sometimes they will be self imposed (these are the ones we like) and other times they are not of our doing (illness or injury). The bottom line is that you must realize that they represent an opportunity for you to surpass where you were before and also afford you the opportunity to see what you are made of. After all, you have a choice on whether you are going to sit there and whine about the layoff, or you can go about making it work for you and improve yourself. Good luck!

[Matt Cena]

THE EFFICACY OF NOTHINGNESS
By Trevor L. Smith

When I told my wife tha title of this article, she looked at me the same way the parents of my Jiu-Jitsu students would whenever I used words that they felt were "Too advanced" for the children. They felt that I was speaking "Too much like an adult," and that the children could not possibly understand what I was trying to convey. My approach was certainly different from anything they had seen or heard before. I always felt that the children would welcome the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and if I spoke to them in a more advanced manner, they would learn in a more advanced manner. Therefore I made it a point to expand their horizons in everything that I could. I would use words that they may not have heard before and simply teach them the definition. Novel concept, I know. The parent's annoyance with my style of teaching when they first witnessed it, lay in the fact THEY did not understand or know the words I was using, and therefore ASS-UMED (one should never assume as it tends to make and ASS out of U and ME) that the children couldn't possibly understand or even learn different vocabulary. Ah the lovely ego...always rearing its head when you least want to deal with it. Please understand that I am not comparing the readers to children, but to students lookig to gain knowledge.

Anyway, let me get back on track. The point I was trying to make was that my wife thought I might "lose" a lot of people with a topic such as the Efficacy of Nothingness (seeing how the majority of people reading this are interested in building muscle and or losing fat). However, my own thoughts would prefer not to ASS-UME what someone might "get" or understand. Why not give the opportunity for people to learn something a little more intersting and perhaps deeper than another biceps routine or the latest fat loss diet? After all, if one can learn about and grasp the concept of Nothingness...building bigger biceps and losing fat will be that much easier. Let's get started...

It should be the ultimate goal of one's life to achieve nothingness. Now that might seem like a pretty, and perhaps pompous statement. I am sure that some of you are thinking, who the f--- am I? Well, let me see, I guess I can say that on a good day I am absolutelt NOTHING, which is to say NO-THING. I am no thing! Yet, I am everything, something, and then again nothing! The underlying concept I am trying to convey is that when I am having a good day...and I am at my best, my highest vision of myself, I am truly nothing. Again which is to say NO-THING. I am in a state where I understand that seperation and isolation from the IS that is everything (i.e. the universe) and a single definition of who and what I am or what I can be inherently, limits the greatness that I can achieve, whether taht greatness is gaining an inch on my arms or getting down to 5% body-fat. I am the first to admit that these moments are a great deal fewer than I would hope for. Unfortunately, a great deal of the time I am a single definition and I am seperated and isolated from Everything. A great deal of the time I am "a bodybuilder" or "a writer" or "an angry, grumpy, cranky motherf--ker" or maybe I am "Happy"---I know, you are going to ask what is worng with just being happy? The thing is, whenever I choose to identify myself completely and fuly by one thing, I am limiting how far it is that I can go, in every capacity (This includes defining oneself soley as being happy, because happiness is somethign that can only exist in relation to something that is non-happy...so to ignore taht which is non-happy and choose to nly be happy is quite impossible and a limited way of existence). Ponder this last sentence for a while and you will see how accurate it is.

Let's bring this idea to the reality of bodybuilding. If you are just being "a bodybuilder," you are clearly going to rob yourself of things that you could be and experience if you were just simply nothing. This would mean you were everything, allowing you to be and experience the wonderment of yourself as a bodybuilder, aboyfriend/girlfrined, a brother/sister, a student,a teacher,a spiritual being, a funny being, an angry being, a happy being...an everything and anything being...a nothingness being.

There are so many opportunities that vanish when one boxes themselves in by a single definition and tries to make the universe conform to that definition. Her's a little hint...the universe doesn't conform to you...you conform to the universe. The way you conform to it is to live by its laws and to allow yourself the freedom of nothingness.

Do not try and be just one thing...be everyhting and anything. This, of course, ultimately means being nothing. Many times I encounter people in the bodybuilding and fitness industry that are disasters waiting to happen. They live their lives through obsession. They have a limited vision of who and what they are and they think that is something to admire and be proud of. I hear statemnets like, "I am going to be mr. Olympia one day...it is my destiny...and I don't do ANYTHING except sleep, train, eat and focus on achieving my goal." Of course they usually leave out, "And take insanely amounts of pharmaceuticals to feed my obsession." I will admit that sometimes---very rarely, however, peoplelike this od achieve success, but it is success at a tremendous price. When their fleeting moment of glory is long gone, they have nothing but an empty feeling inside that can only come from living an empty shell of an existence.

Most of the time, however, these sad individuals wind up walking a tight rope without a net. Their obsession winds up destroying their lives (And often the lives of others around them). In the end, they usually wind up falling way short of their hopes, dreams, expectations and have absolutely nothing to show for it in the process. They shut themselves off fom the wonderful opportunities and experiences that life's everyday, seemingly insignificant occurances has to offer.

The beauty of a raindrop as it crashes into a puddle...
The joy of freedom that can be seen jumping off a dogs face as it runs with through a field with its human companion (I hate to use the word owner, when refering to another life form that is in no way lesser, but sadly often times greater than the human animal, ownership is something that just cannot be...and it is the limited mind that think this way)...
The laughter echoing in the streets from children at play...
The sound of crickets chirping on a warm summers night...
The anticipation of a first date...

Conversely, even the so-called negative things should be recognized, reveled in and experienced in a fully concious manner. The point is simply that a closed mind is a limited mind and a rather empty existence. If one truly wishes to reach the pinnacle in any are, bodybuilding included, you must open yourself and pay attention to, appreciate and learn fromevery single moment of your existence.

Being focused, determined or driven doesn't mean that you must shun those things in this world that might not immeadiately seem like they would benefit what it is that you are trying to achieve. In opening yourself up to the everything and allowing you to experience the efficacy of nothingness, something very intersting and funny happens. You wind up getting to a particular goal a lot faster than you would have had you boxed yourself in with a limited existence and a limited definition of yourself. Additionally, as an added bonus, the journey winds up being a lot more fulfilling. Then again, most people who are obsessed have already made the tragic mistake of thinking that it is the destination that holds all they are seeking, and searching for...that it is the destination that holds all the magic. For them I would ask that they pay attention to something I wrote to one of my students when she received her 1st degree Black-Belt:
...And when he snatched the diamond out of the mouth of the dragon, a profound sense of sadness filled his being. So he cast away the precious stone. For he understood that the real treasure lie in the journey and not the destination...

Please do not think I am suggesting that one should have a scattered mind that focuses on nothing in particular. You can be nothing and still accomplish everything. Focus is a huge part of the efficacy of nothingness. However, only when it is time to focus. Being focused on your bodybuilding goals while you are doing activities that are not related to your bodybuilding goals is what you are trying to avoid here. When in the gym-Train, when at the table-Eat, when in bed-Sleep, when practicing posing-Pose. It is very simple and best summed up by a very famous Zen story in which the student asks the Zen master how he may achieve enlightenment.

Student: Master, how do I become enlightened?
Master: Have you eaten your supper?
Student: Yes.
Master: Then clean your bowl.

In other words, do and be whatever it is the moment is requiring of you. In doing this you become nothing. So one who is truly enlightened is doing and be-ing nothing but the experience of cleaning their bowl...NOT wondering about the next task, the next minute, the next hour or the next contest. This serves no purpose other than robbing yourself of the wonderment o fthe moment at hand. Can you imagine training for a show in the gym and thinking about anyhting other than your training? Hopefully your answer is no, but on the flip side, most people think about other things while performing other tasks...tasks they deem unimportant or take for granted. For instance, how many people actually pay full attention to tthemselves wheen they are walking across a bust street to get to their car? Not many, if any. Most people are fumbling around for their keys thinking about where they are going next or where they have to be. In doing this, they lose the moment they are in. Sometimes, in doing this, they lose the wonderful experience of realizing that is walking and realizing that others do not have this gift or do not have it with such ease. Other times, in doing this, they lose their life because their mind is not where their body is and his split means they are not paying attention to the task at hand...which is when accidents happen.

Again, the correlation to bodybuilding is a simple one. When it is time to e a bodybuilder,be a bodybuilder...when it is not...don't. Try and live fully and completely in the moment and do not define yourself by any single thing. You will find that life will be a lot more enriching, you will see things clearer than ever before and will have the ability to go farther than you have ever gone before. After my training session, I drove back to my house and upon getting out of my truck, had a brief conversation with my neighbor, who was contently sitting on his porch with his newborn child. The look of utter happiness and cantentment that he sisplayed made me stop in my tracks and look down at my feet...look down at the grass in front of my house, take a deep breath of the cool winter air and gaze up at the clear blue sun filled sky. It brought me back to the only moment that was important...the moment at hand. A smile grew on my face and a tremendous sense of well being filled me...for that moment I was nothing...I was energized from this experience. An energy that I could use in whatever way I wanted...which will be towards my next workout. For it is nothingness that I seek...and it is the most effecient way I can think of to reach my bodybuilding goals.

[Matt Cena]

The UN-Crowned Mr. Olympia?



A Few Words With 2001 Mr. Olympia Runner-Up And 2002 Arnold Classic Champ Jay Cutler


http://www.musclenet.com/jay.gif
Jay Cullter Picture at the 2001 Mr. O


By Trevor Smith



This is the part of the interview where the author is supposed to write a clever paragraph or two that speaks the praises of the interviewee and informs everyone that the writer is a personal friend of theirs. A couple of semi-witty analogies and then the paragraph ends in a neat segue to the interview. Well, I am not like other bodybuilding magazine writers and would never want to be mistaken as such. So I am not going to take the time to talk about how Jay, who by the way is one of the nicest and most down to earth people you will ever meet, and I came up with the idea to interview him after we finished having Thanksgiving Dinner together at my home this past November. I am certainly not going to talk about the fact that this interview was as easy as taking candy from a baby even though Jay's been busier than a one armed paper hanger with crabs since his stunning performance at the 2001 Mr. Olympia. So let's just save time and get right to it.

What were your thoughts going into this years Mr. Olympia?

This year my goal was to be at my best and I obviously achieved that. I was 8th in 2000 and planned to do better in 2001. Every contest I try to come in better than the last.

Did you do anything differently this year in terms of your prep as opposed to last year…i.e. diet, training?

Higher carbs, less cardio, 20 week diet instead of 16 weeks. I cut travel time 12 weeks out and trained with much higher intensity than ever before. I also substituted a protein powder for 3 meals out of 6.

How did you feel when you saw the other contestants…did you think the show was yours? What did you think when you saw Ronnie?

When I saw Ronnie I said, "What a freak." All I knew is that I was at my absolute best and that was good enough in my eyes to be the surprise of the show. I really didn't pay attention to anyone else.

What are your thoughts on bodybuilding as a whole? Do you consider it a sport? It has been said that bodybuilding lacks credibility and doesn't attract real athletes what steps do you think can be taken to change this?

Bodybuilding has been very lucrative and has built character for me. I will use this as a stepping-stone towards building my future. I consider bodybuilding more of a show rather than a sport. It is very entertaining. While many think bodybuilding is dying, I think it continues to grow. We definitely need to take it more "mainstream" and work on getting the networks involved and this would bring a lot more pure athletes into the sport.

After seeing the Mr. O video and the pictures in the magazines, what did you think of the judging overall at the Mr. O this year? Were you happy with where you placed, and was there anyone that you feel got an early Christmas present and anyone who got the shaft that stood out in your mind?

I was happy with my placing; it could have gone either way. I feel that Vince Taylor could have placed higher as with Markus Ruhl.

What are your thoughts on King Kamali? He apparently made some comments about you regarding your drive and work ethic…and he also stated on his website that had Chris Cormier, Shawn Ray and Kevin Levrone been at their best at this years Mr. Olympia…you would have been battling it out for 5th or 6th.

Everyone has their own opinions. Since when do opinions matter? Would anyone guess I would be a top contender ten weeks from the Olympia? Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one! The fact is I placed second and not anyone else.

The company you represent is ISS. Tell us how you became involved with them. How do you like working with them and what do you like about the company? In other words, what made you choose them over others?

I signed with ISS in December 2000 and, so far, it has been the greatest experience of my career. I truly believe in their products and they truly believe in me, not as just as athlete but as a person as well. They have given me the opportunity to develop several new products and support any opinions that I may have. ISS will be a major player in the supplement industry in the next few years.

[Matt Cena]

The condition you have achieved at both the 2000 N.O.C. and the 2001 Olympia was truly amazing...I have never seen anyone who has such psychotically cross striated and shreded thighs...who, if anyone, assists you with your nutritional plans and what do they consist of?

Chris Aceto does all of my nutritional guidance. We have been working together since I was 18 years old and he is one of my best friends. Chris' knowledge, I believe, is the best in the business. He sticks to basic, old school, blue-collar training and nutrition. That is what my diets are, hard work, no cheating and very bland.

What does the future hold for Jay Cutler after bodybuilding?

I come from a construction background and plan to continue working in real estate and construction when my bodybuilding career ends.

You mentioned to me that you just signed with Muscular Development Magazine to write a monthly column, tell us about that.

I have a Q&A column which will be featured monthly and will allow fans to communicate and ask questions regarding training, diet or just anything in general. Steve Blechman is the editor/owner of MD and has given me a great opportunity.

What type of training do you typically do in the off-season in terms of volume and frequency? Do you train with a partner, or train alone?

Off-season/pre-contest training is basically the same, high volume, high intensity, litttle rest between sets and 5-day/week training. I always train twice per day with each workout lasting 45 minutes to 1 hour. I train alone, with the exception of training with my wife from time to time (People can check my website-www.jaycutler.com-for my workout routine schedule.)

What are your thoughts on the use of performance enhancing pharmaceuticals in bodybuilding today...do you think the envelope is being pushed a little too much and what is the biggest misconception you find in terms of what people think about their use in bodybuilding? I know from my own experience, the biggest problem seems to be that the younger kids in the gyms today, assume that pros take MASSIVE doses of drugs to look the way they do, and to be honest, the biggest abusers of the drugs that I encounter are just regular "gym rats" that are trying to look good for their Saturday night club going.

I think drugs are definitely overused in bodybuilding by the younger generation and this continues to be the downfaall. I know that through the years of hard work and dedication, I have achieved a look that most will never see. I credit much of my success to diet and hard training but also time and consistency. Yet your average "gym rat" assumes that massive doses of drugs are what makes champions. Many people believe there are shortcuts but there is no shortcut in bodybuilding. Drugs cannot take the place of time and commitment, otherwise there would be Ronnie Coleman's popping up every two years and it just doesn't happen.

In the February 2002 issue of Flex magazine on page 108, Ronnie makes the statement in an article on his take of the Mr. Olympia, that the reason he looked bloated was because he drank 1 gallon of water just before prejudging and that he looked way better at the night show cause he was rested up and didn't drink excessive amounts of water. He also stated that he was never worried about losing to you because he was in better condition than you and bigger than you and that you will never ever beat him in this lifetime. Now as an outsider, Ronnie seems to sound a bit like a sore winner. In fact, it was a little emberassing to read. He makes excuses and then contradicts those excuses. If his bloated, spilled over apperance at pre-judging, where he lost both rounds to you, was due to drinking a gallon of water, then why did he still look bloated and spilled over at the night show? Anyway, enough of my thoughts, what did you think when you read this?

I guess Ronnie may be planning on retiring before the next Mr. "O". I also think he needs to look at the score sheets where it really counts.


O.K. I hate the standard interview questions...so I am going to fire some rather odd and different ones at you so people can see that you are a real person.
How do you take your coffee?
Black with two equal.

What c.d. is currently being played in your car or home the most?
Mostly Techno ot Trance...it really helps make cardio a lot easier to do.

If you could have as a pet ANY animal what would it be and why?
I wouldn't want any pet other than my cocker-poo Scraps...he's the ultimate dog/pet...although we just got a new puppy Trace (He's an Air Dale Terrier) who is also awesome!

When someone aks you if you "workout" or if you are a "wrestler" or if you are a "football player" or better yet "how much you bench?" What is the first thing that comes to your head that you would like to be able to say, but don't? Be honest.
The first thing that comes to mind is, "Why would you ask such a stupid question?" Then I realize that they are just trying to make conversation.

Stupidest question you have ever been asked?
Do you lift weights?

Do you have any hobbies outside of bodybuilding?
Reading, motorcycling and eating out at nice resteraunts with Kerry.

Shoe size?
12EEE

If you could change one thing about bodybuiling what would it be?
I would make sure that everyone that is a professional bodybuilder would be paid well or at least have the opportunity to do so.

What is your idea of the perfect world?
On top of a mountain with my wife and my dog and no one else.

Do you believe in the afterlife and do you believe there is life in the universe other than on our planet?
After-life-Yes, I believe there is a better world where God shows us the way, and yes, I believe there are aliens ou ther.

What was the most emberassing thing you ever did or had happen to you?
I was once in a bicycle jumping competition ( Which I in fact, won) and I went so high on one of the jumps, that I hit my head on a tree branch and started bleeding profusely from my head!

Who is your role model/person you look up to or had in the past for inspiration?
I don't really have any role models: I just try to be the best I can be.

What was the last book you read?
"Riptide" by Vatherine Coulter.

What do you typically find in your fridge during the off-season?
I stay on the same foods as when I diet so basically steak, chicken, rice. Off-season I might add pasts, bagels and diet soda.

What is the single most important invention in the last 50 years?
Computer and Internet.

What si the most difficult thing you find about being 300 plus pounds in the off-season?
I can't be involved in other outside sports such as basketball and football, which I love.

If you find a magic lantern while strolling along the beach one day...and you could be rganted one wish, what would that wish be (And you cannot wish for infinite wishes)?
My wish would be, to stay in California with my wife and continued success for us both.

Jay thanks for your time and good luck this year.

Editor's note: At press time of this magazine, Jay has just crushed the competition at the 2002 Arnold Classic. I guess that shoots sh-- out of all the non-believers theories that Jay's performance at the 2001 Olympia was a fluke and purely the result of alleged, illegal diuretic use. Congratulations Jay!

[Matt Cena]

GEAR UZR ISSUE#5:SPRING 2002
PHYSCIC VAMPIRES BY TREVOR SMITH

Be afraid...be very afraid. They are out there...they are everywher...and they are on the hunt...in fact, I am quite sure that some of them are reading the very words I am writing.
We have all encountered them many times before...although unaware of what these useless creatures are all about. having experienced another psychic vampire this past year, I thought it would make an excellent topic to start off the New Year and a new issue of GEAR UZR.
What exactly is a psychic vampire anyway? Simply, psychic vampires are cunning individuals that look to drain the positive energy and kindness that emanates from positive, good-hearted people. Psychic vampires disguise themselves as goo people, trusting people, friends, girlfriends, boyfriends, etc. Once they have sunk their fangs into your neck, they will not release until they have drained you completely or you expose them for what they are, and drive a stake through their hearts.
Psychic vampires run wild in the bodybuilding world. They are expectant, lazy takers for the most part that establish a rapport with you, make you feel sorry for them or seem to be a friend in need or offer assistance to you with "no strings attatched." My ass..... the strings are tied to vampire fangs that are waiting to bury themselves deep into your soul.
Psychic vampires thrive on your good nature and kindness. They take, and take, and take, and take. The more you give, the more they expect. As stated above, they will often initially extend some sort of gratuity or kindness that you did not even ask for. They do this to simply have something which they can "hold over your head" at a later date to insure that you continue to be their positive energy source.
The thing that is so amazing about psychic vampires is that you actually feel guilty when you do not help them or offer them assistance...always at your expense by the way! Yup, this is their greatest power. To make you think that the right thing to do is to rob yourself so that it can be given to them. All the while you are worrying about your own responsibilities, and they are sleeping like babies knowing they have a new energy source to feed off of for the time being.
I have encountered way too many of these idiots in my life...and each time I learn a little something more about how to spot them before they get their teeth in..or how to quickly remove them if they do. First off, when someone is coming into your lifeand seems to be really, really great... you would be wise to stop yourself and take a step back and do a little psychological analysis:
Do they always seem to complain about having been screwed over, ripped off or done wrong by people in the past?
Do they feel that life owes them a living...or that they should be in a better place and should have what someone else has?
Do they point the finger at everyone but themselves?
Do they have a large propensity for taking? In other words, is it easy to give to them?
Do they seem to give off a generosity that never manifests itself other than words or seems to have existed in the beginning of your interaction/relstionship with them, but has since gone the way of the Dodo bird(i.e. extinct)?
Does their existence in your life make your life more difficult and stressful?
Do they seem to lack a history of strongly bounded relationships...and do they seem to surround themselves mostly with losers and frineds that come and go like the wind?
Do they become expectant and angered when you start to taper off the generosity that you give them?

If you wind up answering yes to these questions then you more than likely have a big, fat, useless psychic vampire that is attached to your neck and is draining you of your energy and happiness.
To remedy this is brutally simple. Show NO MERCY...do whatever you ahve to do to get rid of these leeches and let them go and find someone else to feed on. F--k them! You come first and you need to save all your energy and resources for yourselves and for those who truly deserve and are truly in need of them. Psychic vampires are all around you at all times...they wear clever disguises...aren't afraid of the sun, crosses or garlic and are as dangerous to you as being diagnosed with cancer...sometimes they are what causes all of your ailments and ill health. So be wise to their ways. Don't go around being distrusful of people, but always be a bit gaurded. Let people prove themselves to you a bit. If oyu do this, and pay attention to the above signs, you will wind up spending your precious time, energy and efforts on yourself and the people in your life that truly deserve it.
STAY STRONG.

TREVORISM: A failure is one who chooses not to give their all.....when there is no guarantee that their all will give anything back to them.

[Matt Cena]

This article was written by Mat Duval who trained with and under Trevor's guidance using the BFT Principles.

Seeing the Light

By Mat Duval


Top National Super-Heavyweight Contender


An awakening? Yes! A realization? Yeah, a bolt of lightening striking me in the ass! That?s it! That is what Beyond Failure Training represents to me. I, like so many others where skeptical, but once I realized what it was about, I was amazed to say the least. Allow me to explain what Beyond Failure Training is doing for me, what it will do for me, and why you should be doing it! I, like so many bodybuilders, started as a power-lifter/ power trainer. I was taught that in order to grow, I had to consume whatever lie in my path and train extremely heavy, keeping my reps in the 3-8 rep range. So, I, the ever so hungry young man, sought out the biggest, strongest power-lifters that I could find and I ate like there was no tomorrow. My workouts consisted of endless sets of squats, deadlifts and bench pressing, with little to no time left for what was tagged ?assistance work?. Assistance work was anything outside of the 3 basic power-lifting movements. I trained like a madman and got strong and big! By the age of 21, I was walking around at a very large 275lbs and feeling liked I had conquered my goals. I was, in my mind, ready to be Mr. Olympia! That is, however, until I actually attended a Mr. Olympia and saw the competitors up close. They were big and had tremendous amount of detail! Vascularity, density, damn they looked like cartoon characters! And while I was big, I looked like a bloated buffoon! It was time for immediate action; so once again I started asking questions of the behemoths around me. The answers were many, but some better than others. I was instructed that while strength was important, achieving what I wanted to achieve was dependant on more than just being strong. I was taught all about the different muscle fibers and what it took to stimulate them. Years have passed and I am now constantly getting closer to what I consider the ideal physique, you know 300 shredded, vascular, dense pounds! In the past two years, however, I noticed a slowing down to my progress and could not help but think that I have been training the same way too long without making the necessary changes to my program. My doubts started when I trained with an extreme athlete for several months this year. His goals were not to have 25? biceps of 36? quads, but to hang off cliffs and kayak to places he could race down on his mountain bike, interesting stuff. He convinced me to train for more endurance and at the same time I would incorporate more muscle fibers, thus adding more detail to my physique right? Well, kind of, but just doing more reps did not over load the muscle the way Beyond Failure Training does? ?Seeing the Light? occurred shortly after I returned from Venice, California back to good ole New Jersey a few weeks ago. I received an email from Trevor Smith, someone I had never had the pleasure of meeting, but he was honest in his remarks about my physique and the potential he felt I had. He explained to me a system of training that he developed that would challenge me beyond my wildest dreams, and in return, yield new gains that a lot of guys at the National and Pro level do not feel they can attain anymore. These gains are ?only? supposed to be made when we are young and new to the gym, well I am new to Beyond Failure Training; therefore, it does put me in the same state of mind I had as a young power-lifter: HUNGRY! I was so excited to start I could hardly wait, but then I realized I was supposed to be getting over a couple of injuries until the first of the New Year. Well, I am not one to wait, so I went to the gym, explained the system to my training partner and just did it! To say I experienced a workout that I had not dreamed of in quite some time is an extreme understatement. I was pumped beyond belief! I felt superhuman! I was ready for WAR! My personal war is the 2001 competition season and the new and improved physique I can bring to the stage! In 1999 and 2000 I brought over 260lbs. of beef to the National stage, and that will pale in comparison to what I do in 2001, that I promise! I will be a ridiculous looking 270 some pounds of sinewy, vascular, dense, meaty fucking muscle tissue. I will be making a trip to Venice, California in February of 2001 just to make sure I have the basics of Beyond Failure Training down correctly. I will do so by challenging Trevor to do his dirty work in the gym with me as a training partner. I have already communicated to him that I want him to try and break me! Try and make me say uncle! I require it! I want to return back to Jersey one big lump of a hurting human being! Anyone wanting to push their body to the limit has to learn by others mistakes. Training in the Beyond Failure style can help one reduce the amount of time it takes to get freaky! Challenge yourself! Require more of you than you ever have, it is an experience you will never forget, I promise. Do not be afraid of the pain that comes with this training system, it is well worth it when you consider the payback. As much as I enjoyed the training I did in my late teens and early twenties, I wish I had a system like this at that time. It would have provided the same, if not more, intensity and my physique would have yielded more of the look I wanted. To help others decide as to whether they want to try Beyond Failure Training (or what Trevor sometimes appropriately refers to as Demon Training), I am going to ask Trevor to print pictures of me, starting at a post 2000 Nationals 290lbs., to how I will look by March when I attend the Arnold Classic, that is 315lbs. of granite! From there I will send him pictures throughout 2001 as I get closer to the Nationals and pictures from this year to compare them to. Believe me, these pictures will tell the story, and show the results that Beyond Failure Training brings to you. Best of luck-Mat.

[Matt Cena]

How Big Is Your Heart?
By Mat DuVall


"Hey man, how big are your arms?" or "Dude, how much can you bench!"

Any individual who has been in the gym for any amount of time has heard one if not both of these questions. I am at the point where I no longer ask, nor do I care what another's measurements are, or how much they can lift. Who cares? And more important, just as the title implies, How much heart do you have, or how big is your ticker?

Do you have what it takes to go beyond the pain zone, beyond the screaming in your muscles, Beyond Failure?

Since writing, Seeing the Light, I have received numerous emails stating that the Beyond Failure system is great for legs, or for chest, but all seem to think that not all body parts can benefit from this training. Bullshit! I tell anyone that has stated this that they are giving it their all on the good workouts, and simply not bringing their heart to the gym on the days they claim Beyond Failure does not work.

Being that I am in a gym all day, I witness some of the people that do not bring their heart to the gym. I guess it benefits their physique more to sit on their ass and stare at everyone else in the gym. They come to me with the glum look of one who is not making progress and of course they want to blame it on their training style, or the supplement they cannot afford. I tell all the same thing, you have to bring your heart to the gym, you cannot expect to train like a wimp, and make the gains most are looking for. Catching on yet? Having met Trevor and having the opportunity to discuss training with him, I realized that he, like I, has PASSION for what he wants to accomplish in the gym, and he knows that when training takes place with no heart, you are doomed to a mediocre existence.

A good example is taken from Rocky 3, Rocky, having gotten his ass kicked by Clubber Lang, asks former foe Apollo Creed to take over his training. Apollo brings Rocky back to the old neighborhood and tries to go to work, but Rocky, out of fear does not bring his heart to the gym and assumes tomorrow will be a better day. Who can forget what Apollo so eloquently said, "Damn rock! This guy will kill you", and after being informed that Rocky will just try harder tomorrow, he tells him what I am trying to say, "there is no tomorrow!" Do not assume that the next workout will be better, make every day in the gym count and make it productive! There is no TOMORROW!

My reason for using Rocky 3 is that how many times has a bodybuilder, power lifter, or any athlete for that matter, lost at an event and vowed not to let it happen again. Instead of starting in the gym right away though, they say, "Oh, I have plenty of time, tomorrow I will go back to really training." What? Tomorrow, there is no such thing. Set a goal and do it now.

I lost big at the 2000 Nationals. I came home and as explained in my first article met Trevor via email. From there I spoke with some NPC judges and officials that gave me their opinion on the package I brought to New York. What was next? I challenged myself to come back in 2001 better than ever. I did not take much time off. I wanted to make the most of each day I had. November, in Atlanta, is where my heart is every day. Yes, I do take time to enjoy the journey, but it is that day that drives me! The 2001 NPC Nationals

I am currently in a 3-4 week hiatus from the Beyond Failure training method. It is a necessary move in order to continue making gains year around, the nervous system cannot handle this amount of intensity year around. I get frustrated only because when training in the Beyond Failure method, I muster every bit of intensity possible, but now I am forced to actually not be as intense! I know it is necessary, but it is still frustrating!

Ask yourself every workout, did I bring my heart? if not, then go outside and find it in the car, then train. Do not waste your time in the gym, make every second count! Should you decide to take on the challenge of following Beyond Failure Training, make sure you do the routine justice by doing it properly, which means having passion! Training, or living for that matter without passion means, at least to me, living with no purpose. Train with a purpose, something worthy of not being able to walk for days, or not being able to turn the steering wheel. Enjoy the pain, and go beyond it, make the pain work for you. Bring your heart to the gym with you, and make sure it is as strong as you want your legs, pecs, or any other body part to be.

[Matt Cena]

Mat DuVall

4/6/02

Month 1: Shock, Anxiety... PAIN.

There are type's of pain that warrant anxiety when thinking about it. I am not talking about the brief pain experienced when one stubs a toe; no, I am talking about the pain felt when lactic acid has reached maximum levels in a muscle. The pain felt when muscle fibers are tearing apart at a rate that you do not have time to even catch your breath, much less, start to feel better. This pain is what builds champions in the gym. This is the pain I asked Trevor to bring to my world in my pursuit of the Mr USA title. My reason for moving to Vegas was to have the opportunity to step into hell everytime I trained with Trevor; to know I was leaving no stone unturned in my journey. Each month I will give you, the reader's a chance to experience in word the pain and torture that I ask for. You will have a front row seat as Trevor unmercifully breaks my body down in the gym. I will not hold back in my description of the pain I feel; please know this is being done not to discourage you, but rather to encourage you to go beyond the thresh hold of pain in your own training. Beyond Failure Training is not just some fly by night training system that will be forgotten in a month or two. It is a training system that when done right can yield gains like one has never experienced! It is a system that the trainer or trainee is encouraged to make subtle changes.. rep speed, range of motion, the possibilities are endless, yet all lead to the same place.. Shock as to the gains you will make, Anxiety when you are waiting to do your next set, and the constant Pain you will feel.

I arrived in Las Vegas on February 27th, a month late! Why was I upset? In being late, I missed the opportunity to go through a cycle of BFT with Trevor. He was on the last week of his training cycle, and I was coming off a 10 week lay off. My second reason for being upset?, I was as mentioned feeling untrained and flat, while Trevor greeted me at a bodyweight of 370 pounds! Trust me when I say, I have never witnessed any pro or amateur bodybuilder at this weight, while maintaining a beyond respectable level of conditioning! Damn! I needed to get my ass in gear and be ready for the next training cycle. To be honest, it was best that I was not on track with Trevor when I arrived. Why?, as it was put to me, " You would have died, you are not ready..." I felt like a bald little kid, only answering to the name, " Grasshopper", but in truth Trevor wanted to have the chance to guide me through some training while he was off BFT so that I could be ready for the Hell that lay ahead. The first week was tough. I knew that Trevor was taking it easy on me a bit, he knew that I needed time to re-adjust to training in this style. That week's workout that best describe's the pain felt by BFT is the leg training done on friday the 1st of March.

We had gone through the other bodyparts and only had legs left to finish the week. I was hurting, alot, from the prior 3 workouts and as I sat waiting for Trevor, a horrible feeling of anxiety consumed me. Had I timed my arrival with Trevor, it may have been better, but I was early that day, and left to think about the pain that lay only minutes ahead. Moments later I saw Lucifer, (Trevor), pass through the door. As he passed by me, he did not stop, or greet me with a "good morning". I believe the words were, " I feel like shit, let's go..." It was decided that due to his body's state, on that day I would be the center of attention. Trevor was there only to bring the pain. How nice of him you say? to come in for me, even though he was off? Understand that his presence was to, yes, help, but in doing so to make me feel every set that I had missed in the 6 weeks prior! With each hint of regret I felt for being there, I reminded myself that this was what I needed, what I wanted and what was going to bring me to July 26th looking like a mutant! Leg extensions, 1 warmup, and 2 worksets... I hear your thoughts, "that's all, just 2 worksets?" What I felt in the next 10 minutes is only comparable to having my thighs pounded by sledge hammers. The weight seemed easy enough, only the stack to start, a slight 300 pounds, big deal, right? I was then introduced to true no momentum reps. Explain you say?, TRUE no momentum reps, are slow, squeezing every fiber possible reps, then holding it at the top of the movement for a full 5 seconds. After the 5 second hold, it is a slow, excruciating negative that should take no less than 3-4 seconds, and you are not to rest on the bottom. The rep is stopped for a count of 3 just before the muscle fiber's of the legs can relax, thus keeping them in the contracted position. That was one rep; 4 seconds up, 5 seconds at the top, another 4 on the way down and a hold of 3 on the bottom. Sixteen seconds of pain and it was just one rep! I went on in that fashion to about 8 on my own,it was then that I had to do 3 barely assisted reps. I say barely to illustrate that the assistance given is just enough to complete the rep. At no time is the weight taken from me and finished by Trevor. After the 8 on my own and the 3 assisted, my legs were screaming! I actually heard myself wimper! Me, wimper! I know there will be some that say, only 11 and you were wimpering!? Hah! "what a pussy!" Those 11 reps took close to 3 minutes to do!!, and now came the first drop! now I had 210 pounds on the stack, and I could not perform one rep on my own. I opened my eyes just long enough to see Trevor glaring at me, reading his thoughts I heard, " I am not supposed to be training today, suck it up pussy!" Hearing his actual words he told me to keep squeezing, even though the weight was not moving. I did 3 assisted reps, another 40 seconds of pure, evil, pain. In all honesty at this point my motor skills were failing. My quads were not firing and I felt breakfast bubbling from deep within me.... Drop #2! Yes, from 210 to 140 pounds. I was numb, remember this was the first set! Numb to the point that my ears were popping, I heard little other than Trevor's encouragment to keep squeezing. In making sure that I was squeezing, he would give my leg a slap. A slap from a 370 pound freak, not a little punk! A fraction of me wanted to jump up and plant a 45 pound plate right between his eyes! "Why?" you ask, "Is it becasue I was in so much pain?", no, it was becasue I knew this was nothing compared to the 18 weeks that lay ahead. The 140 pounds on the stack felt like a car coming down on my legs. I gathered enough stength to complete one on my own, but for some resaon the 2nd rep was not moving. Again, I opened my eyes and saw Trevor leaning on the pad that my feet were under! He was adding another maybe 100 pounds of pressure to the 140 that I was barely moving! Remember, it is called, Beyond Failure Training, not Go to failure training! I managed to get through another two reps, thus making it to the 3rd drop, 90 pounds..... I should be able to move 90 pounds like a pillow!?, then why are tears forming in my eyes as I strain to complete just one rep?!, Oh!, again, Mr Smith is leaning on the pad, as if it was not hard enough. Doing 3 reps with the 90, reminded me of the opening scene to the Incredible Hulk, you know, when David Banner was trying to lift the car off his wife... That was a car, this is 90 pounds! Why am I grimmacing?, and why are my eyes tearing up? I was roughly 4 1/2 minutes into my first set, yes the first set, and there was no longer a mind to muscle conection. My mind had told my muscle to get ****ed a long time ago! this was now instinct and the desire to prove I was worthy of the title I wanted to earn. The 3 reps performed with 90 pounds were more Trevor than I, yes, I was squeezing, trying to squeeze for all I was worth, but at that point I was worth little to nothing. As I came down on the 3rd rep, a feeling of relief started to come over me, I was done?, right? I mean 5 1/2 minutes for one set is enough right?, What is enough? Does enough excist? Not today, Trevor dropped the weight again to 50 pounds! That's right 50 pounds. Had you been there to hear the wimpering done on my part, you may have believed I was pushing up 500 pounds, but it was not. With only 50 pounds I struggled through maybe another 5 reps of agony until I was allowed to stop. As I looked up and realized that close to 8 minutes of my life had passed, all I could do was look at the floor and ask, how bad do I want this?, how much work am I willing to do to achieve my goal? One set? Two sets?, by the way, on this day there was no second set of leg extensions. My quads were gorged with blood, and shaking to the point where another set was on that day, pointless. Realize that in one set of leg extensions I did more work than any idiot who loads the squat bar up with 500 pounds and bounces out 4-6 half reps! This was work, real work, and as much as I was in pain, I knew that my body would not deny me the gains I needed.
!...... From there, we went to the leg press, an exercise that I normally would be able to pound out reps with more than 2000 pounds loaded! That was then, on this day, due to the state of my quads, I was performing with a mere 4 plates on each side!! A little over four hundred pounds, but you have to keep in mind that my goal is not strength. The primary goal is to build muscle tissue and this is done by destroying as many fibers as possible. Once I was able to get into the machine, the 8 plates, total, actually felt a bit heavy. I was instructed to slowly lower the weight and hold it on the bottom. I was not holding it on my chest, no, that is cheating, I was holding it right off the chest, just enough to keep the fibers in my quads stretched to the max! 4-5 seconds on the bottom, and then a slow, controlled squeeze all the way to the top. The top is where it gets interesting, I was told to rotate to my heels and flex for all I was worth. Hold, hold, flex, harder! this is what I was hearing. After holding in a full flex for five seconds, it was another slow disent to the bottom. After 6 reps, in all truth, I was toasted! I finshed with 5 more reps at a faster pace, but still flexing at the top for all I was worth. When reading these words, it is hard to imagine the pain that is felt. I have trained in many stlyes; power training, high rep training, etc. and this is by far the most pain I have ever experienced in the gym. I was able to finish 2 sets of the leg press and 1 long work set for hamstrings before knowing on that day I was done. There will be some that may scoff at this training, as it is described in print, but I challenge anyone to participate and feel what I am talking about.

With each week that passes I see my physique changing for the better. I am getting fuller, harder and larger! Many, if not all, involved in the world of bodybuilding know that the formula for success is hard training, proper nutrition/ supplementation, rest, and on some levels well prepared courses. Starting at 12 weeks out from the USA's I have asked Trevor to post pictures of my progress. This is done more to prove the effectivness of BFT. My nutrition never changes that much when preparing for a contest, nor do the other aspects of my preparation. Having Trevor guide me through daily sessions of BFT is the most drastic change I have made to my pre contest training. It is my hope that I serve as living proof as to the effecitvness of BFT! Do not go day to day wishing you could be one of the champions in the world of bodybuilding. Challenge yourself to become a champion. Challenge yourself to perform BFT the right way!, By looking at life and your training as a constant challenge, and asking what you can do to win that challenge you have already won half the battle. The other half is won by being consistent and never, ever, quitting!

[Matt Cena]

Mat DuVall

Ground Zero; Article 2

Nuclear Nutrition, Gear UZR

"DOUBT, the enemy?, or the motivator?"

In the last installment of Ground Zero, I spoke about 3 of the elements one can and will experience when using BFT training. Those three things were SHOCK, ANXIETY and PAIN. In this article I am going to explain how one can take doubt, a powerful enemy to any trainee and turn it into a friend. Instead of allowing doubt to defeat one in their quest for size, one may use it to motivate them. The same has been and can be said for fear, but that is another article all together. Self doubt has ruined many an athlete. They allow doubt to pollute their brain by asking themself some of the following: "Am I good enough?", "Can I win", or "Is this too much for me to try?", these are but a few examples of self doubt. When considering this topic, I had to ask myself how this had anything to do with Trevor and my time in the gym. In the following article I hope you will see how doubt, in my case, on the day discussed was used to blast through a plateau, and how you the reader can do the same.

The day we will discuss is Trevor and my last chest workout. As usual it was a monday, but unlike the last monday, Trevor is now back to BFT. He was on a 3 week hiatus when I arrived in Vegas, but now on this monday is back to going through the realm of sanity in our quest for size. What is it about monday's? To most, monday represents the first day in a long work week, after a not so long weekend. Monday is the day that most things do go wrong in the week. I am not a fan of mondays, but I do love training chest and calves. Since arriving in Vegas, I have done my best to be early to the gym, but on this day I am about 5 minutes late. As I entered the gym, I could see Trevor crouching by the pec-dec, he seemed to be meditating. His eyes were closed and he was for the most part motionless. Upon reaching the machine, I was instructed to warm up. The machine was already maxed at 220 pounds. I cranked out a slow and controlled 10 reps and stretched for a minute. It was now time to go to work and that means loading up the pec-dec with an additional 320 pounds, bringing the machine to 550 pounds! That is the stack, with (4) forty-five pound plates, and (2) 75 pound dumbells balanced on the top. Trevor's ability to focus is something to be seen. He closes his eyes as he sits down on the machine and as he swings the handles around in front of him, his eyes open, glowing a golden color. His stare goes straight through me as he is preparing to rip every fiber in his chest wide open! With each rep, he stretches to a maximum at the rear and slowly squeezes the wieght together until the handles touch. After the handles touch, he squeezes his pecs together even harder. With each rep his color changes too, he has gone from red, to purple, and he spits a lot. Good thing I am not prissy about getting wet!, each time a rep is completed I get a wave of saliva! After the 6th rep, it is time for the forced reps to be done, I offer only enough assistance to get the rep done. Trevor does 2, and it is time to drop the weight. I unload the (2) 75's and take off (1) of the 45 pound plates, now the wieght is at 365 lbs. Again, Trevor methodically squeezes each rep, one, two, a third and he is spent, again I assist him through 2 more and we drop the wieght back to the stack. The stack being 220 pounds is rarely if ever used by others in the gym. I do not know if it is the weight being used, the groans that are coming out of Trevor, or the massive amount of spit hitting me, but a crowd has developed behind us. When most would justify a faster pace, Trevor actually slows his pace and squeezes each rep even harder to insure that every fiber in his pectorials is ripped apart. I offer little encouragment, in part to not disturb Trevor's set and second because I do not want a mouthful of spit, still frothing from his mouth! He has completed 5 reps and his chest is again failing, we perform two forced reps and it is time for the last drop. I drop the weight to what I think is 150, the numbers are faded and hard to read on this pec dec. Trevor loses no intensity despite the lowering of the wieght. He is still focused and still making every rep work for him. He is no longer just purple in the face, but his entire neck and upper chest are purple as each rep forces more blood to his pecs! Those watching are either laughing nervoulsy as they suspect his head will explode from his shoulders, or they turn away in disgust as they notice the soaking down I am getting! (just kidding about the soaking down). After 6 reps and 3 forced the set is done and Trevor falls from the machine, he is justifiably spent. The title of this article mentioned DOUBT, well, I am now doubting myself. Am I doubting my ability to train in this style, NO! Doubt is making me nervous about how much weight I will add to the pec dec. The stack is too easy, and I have done the four plates before. I load up the machine with (4) forty-five plates, but I do not load the 75 pound dumbells; I am doubting myslef! As I stand in fornt of the pec-dec, I know I can do more than what is loaded, but I do not act on it. Instead I begin my set, and as soon as I bring the handles around, I know I should have loaded more! Does this mean my set is ruined?, no, but it is a distraction as I try to focus 100% on making my chest grow! I perform 6-7 reps before Trevor must assist me through another 3, now the weight is lowered to 330 pounds. My chest is screaming due to the fibers pulling apart, but in the back of my mind I know I could have started with more! The 330 pounds feels heavy and I only get 2 before I need assistance, I only get two because instead of focusing 100% on the set, I am doubting my decision from step one! Trevor forced me to get another two before he rips off the other (2) forty-five pound plates. I am back to the stack and trying to regain my focus. In doing so I am making mistakes, I am allowing my elbows to drop which takes pressure off the pecs and transfers it to the shoulders. Trevor reminds me to keep the elbows up, and to focus. I perform another 4 reps and again 2 more forced before the weight is dropped, I am not sure what Trevor dropped it to, but it looks to be around 130 lbs. I manage to squeeze out another 7 and finish with an excruciating 3 forced. As I finish my set and feel my pecs throbbing in pain, I cannot help but me disappointed in myself for not managing first to maintain focus and second for not using the weight I should have. I remind myself that this is only the first exercise, and that we still have two more exercises to go. I will not allow doubt to ruin my training; if it ruins my training, it will surely ruin my day!
Now that we have finished with the pec dec, it is time for incline barbell press on the Smith Machine. The bench is set to only a slight angle, just enough to shift the pressure to the upper chest. This is an exercise that when done proper, can, in my opinion, yield tremendous gains on one's chest. It is my favorite exercise for the pec's. This is another exercise that attention must be paid to rep speed and control of the weight. I have witnessed many a lifter bounce reps off their chest in hopes of building shelf like pectorials. When training in the BFT style, reps are done in a zero momentum fashion to insure that every rep is ripping apart as many fibers as possible. Trevor is ready and we have loaded the bar to 455 pounds. I know that many out there will say, this guy does this much and that guy did this many, but you must witness these sets to appreciate them. When I say that our reps are zero momentum, I mean that the descent can take as many as 5-6 seconds, then after a 2-3 second pause on the bottom, a 3-4 second squeezing up of the positive part of the movement. This adds more intensity than many care to experience. It is truly a helpless feeling when after completing 6 reps, you are pushing as hard as you can on the bar only for it not to move; instead, it will start to sink back towards your throat! After saying all of this, on this day, Trevor thorws a monkey wrench into the works. Instead of starting with zero momentum, he starts his set with at least 8 if not more explosive reps. His rep speed is normal, up and down, not bouncing, but not as slow as I have been accustomed to. After doing the first reps like this, he then slows the bar to zero momentum reps. I hate to say it, but again, when many would end the set it is only beginning for those that follow BFT! Trevor does about 3 ZMR's (zero momentum reps) and then I assist with 1 forced rep. The weight is now stripped to 315 pounds and he continues with slow, controlled reps. He finishes another 3 and again I assist with 1 forced rep. The weight is dropped to 225, a weight that usually could be thrown through the ceiling, but after brutalizing his chest, Trevor is only able to manage 3 reps before stripping the bar to 135 lbs. At this weight, no matter how fatigued it is hard not to blast through the reps. Trevor slows the weight down on the negative and even has me lean on the bar at the bottom to increase the stretch on the pecs. He is able to do about 5, then the only weight left is the bar. This is where a training partner is involved in not only assisting on the forced, but in this situation making the negative a bitch to endure! Once the bar is pushed to the bottom with Trevor resisting, I lean on the bar and fight him on the way back to the top of the movement. He does 3 reps like this before waving the white flag and being forced to give in to complete pec failure. Having Trevor go first is always motivating. I have kept in mind that due to my doubting my abilities on the pec dec, I need to make it up here on this movement. During the past 3 weeks, I had to get used to the type of reps Trevor wanted me to perform. The reps are slower than I was used to, which made them more excruciating. The emphasis has not been on how much weight, but how much pain I could bring to the body part being trained. I have until this day kept the wieght on this exercise at no more than 365 to start. I need something today, I need to prove to me that I am not doubting my strength. There was a time when I could do 500 pounds for reps!, and here I am with only 365 lbs. on the bar. Today I load 405 pounds and know that this set is going to be my best set for chest since I arrived in Vegas. After a moment of psyching myself up, and allowing for Trevor to breath again, I start my set. I start straight into slower, controlled reps. I use no momentum off the bottom, I want each of these reps to count in a way that they have never counted! As my arms charge up and down like a piston; I am happy that the weight feels light in comparison to previous weeks with less weight. I am able to complete 5 reps on my own and almost a sixth before having Trevor and the other spotter help me to the top, I then do 1 forced and it is time to drop the wieght. The weight is dropped to 315 and by now my pectorials are really hurting. Pounding is a more precise description of each rep performed. I do only 2 with this weight and again force out 1 assisted rep. The weight is brought down to 225 and I cannot believe how heavy it feels! Understand that at this point, I am done, but done is not enough. With 225on the bar, I managed only 1 rep and that 1 had to be assisted. Once I locked out with 225, the bar was brought down to 135 lbs. Many would think that at this point I would start cranking out the reps?, not so. My motor skills are now beyond failing. My arms are twitching as I push the bar towards the ceiling. Two reps are performed and I can push no more. As my eyes start to open and re- adjust to the light, I hear Trevor tell the spotter to remove the weight, leaving only the bar. The bar!, hell, I can do the bar all day, no matter how tired I am! Sure, if I did not have a 370 pound freak leaning on it and yelling at me to keep pushing. That familiar feeling is returning; I want to jump up and plow a 45lb plate in to Trevors head!, but let's remember, he is HELPING ME. Allow me to paint this picture for you, Trevor leaning on the bar, telling me to keep squeezing, and of course pushing, yet nothing is happening. The weight is not moving, I only am managing to increase the pain I feel deep in my pecs. Well, on this day, the task master, or better described as Lucifer himself, allows me up after only 2 reps with the bar, Oh yeah!, and his 370 lbs. leaning on it!

This is normally when the chest workout would end, but Trevor has discovered a new way to finish. We go to the Hammer incline press, and do reps one arm at a time. This way, we can force even more blood into the muscle! My pecs are beyond swollen and I am trying to get even more blood into the muscle!this is why I train with Trevor. We do not do drops here, just as many as we can do with 2-3 forced reps. One set and it is finished! The pain of chest trainingis done for a week!, now it is on to calves!, but that is a whole other article and a whole other subject. That article may be called, "Not walking, how it feels..........."

There will be no more doubts for me, none. Since writing this, I have put all doubts to rest, and I continue to get stronger each workout. I have 13 weeks to do what I consider apart of my fate, become Mr USA. All the training that has been endured, and the other shows that have been competed in, lead me to that stage. July 26th, and 27th are my focus each day in the gym. I picture the stage, the way I will look, even the smell of the arena; there is no room for doubt in this picture or in my training.

[Matt Cena]

Mat DuVall

Ground Zero; Article 3 (part 1 of 2)

Nuclear Nutrition, Gear UZR

" Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas..."

Do I loathe my friend and training partner Trevor Smith?, No, of course not. Do I fear my training partner Trevor Smith, um, well, no, well.... sometimes. Loathing one, or fearing them can and has ruined many a relationship; however, in my quest to win the 2002 Mr. USA, Fear and Loathing here in Las Vegas is helping to fuel my intensity in the gym.

The training day in question? The longer I am here, the more material I have for this column. As each workout remains fresh in my mind, for this particular installment of Ground Zero, I chose several examples from different training sessions.

FEAR! Damn, Trevor has a way of intimidating someone. He even intimidates me when arriving early in the morning to the gym in which we train. I usually watch the front door from whatever machine we will be using first. As Trevor comes through the door; darkness comes over the gym. A dark cloud of pain, misery in the minutes that follow, a fear inducing cloud. I usually do my best to greet him with a smile and a, "How you doin, buddy Ole pal?" On a good day I am greeted with, "fine, did you warm up?" Do not get me wrong, outside of the gym, Trevor is the best. He is full of wisdom, direction, a great friend all around. In the gym, it is a different Trevor, there are times when I expect him to turn to reveal a red tail coming out of his ass, or when he removes his BFT hat, two sharpened horns to protrude from his head. These things of course do not happen, but trust me when I tell you that Satan himself would cower when crossing the path of Trevor in the gym. This helps me in that people do not approach to ask questions of Trevor or myself. One time it happened. I do not think that Trevor noticed, but it took all my patience to not erupt into a rage. As Trevor was fighting through the tail end of an excruciating set of preacher curls, two guys come from behind him to ask me if we use weight gain? ****ing weight gain!? I wanted to say, "No, I eat humans whole, and I am hungry!", but I refrained and implied that he may want to move on. He did not take the hint and said, "No, seriously, I am serious, do you?" Now please understand, I enjoy helping, and will when I can, but when my training partner is turning purple as he struggles and is expecting me to be there to spot, I cannot answer such lunacy. I then made eye contact just long enough for the guy's wiser friend to realize what was about to happen and they scuffled off. Did I feel bad? no, we were working. As mentioned, I do not think Trevor even noticed, good thing. Anyway, I digress. Fear can be a great help in the gym, or of course it can destroy you. Watching Trevor perform a set can induce fear, but it is the type of fear that motivates me to be stronger and get freakier than ever!


When does one Fear for their training partner or fear that their set is next? The day is another leg day, and it is time for Trevor and I to use the power squat machine. This machine holds 9 plates on each side. I have been in the gym when people are doing the machine wrong with 9 plates on each side and they have a crowd watching in amazement. Now, read carefully as I tell you how Trevor loads the machine. We start by loading the expected 9 plates per side; then we add a second bar and load another 9 plates on each side of the bar. This brings us to a total of 18 plates per side. 18 plates a side means 36 total plates, this equals 1,620 pounds!, and that does not include the weight of the machine. Well, surprise, surprise, it is now time to add a THIRD BAR to the top of the machine and add another 6 plates per side. This brings us to 48 total plates on the machine plus the two 45lb bars and plus the actual weight of the machine; that is over 2300 pounds and we are using a power squat machine, not a leg press. After taking more than 10 minutes to load the bar, which by the way is where the loathing can come in, it is time to get psyched. I watch Trevor as a nasty, focused, evil look comes over his face. He looks from side to side in disgust as the mere mortals bitch about the now lack of plates in the gym. They dare not say a word, as they know it will bring instant pain, hospitalization actually. Trevor now approaches and gets under the weight, his intensity is coming off him like an electrical current. As he lifts the machine and disengages the safety handle, all around him take notice that he is about to go into a zone that no one, and I repeat no one goes to. He lowers to parallel, pauses for a moment, and slowly squeezes back to the top. These are perfect reps, slow, squeezing, non bouncing reps. Six reps are done in perfect form before he racks the weight. What is scary is that he does not rack the weight due to muscular failure, instead it is due to a lack of oxygen. At Trevor's bodyweight, it takes a lot more wind to keep your sails stretched, meaning? his lungs are spent. It is awe inspiring, it is awesome to see before I must get on and follow suit. Am I ready to use the same weight, no, but I have gone from a measly 22 plates total to this occasion at 36 plates! With this much weight on the bar, I do not bother thinking, I just get under it and go to work. As I dis engage the safety lever, I feel the tremendous weight bear down on my shoulders. I know I will have the welts to prove the amount of weight I was holding after the set. As I drop down for the first rep, I feel my quads start to scream; mind you we have just completed two agonizing sets of leg extensions. Up and down like a piston, slow and controlled though, there is no momentum used in completing these reps. As I go through my set, I start to feel so powerful, I want to let out a massive scream, but I use the energy instead to control this massive amount of weight. As I reach a wall, my quads are pumped beyond belief! I am not a lover of shorts, but on this day I wish I were wearing them so I could see the veins pulsate as I go through each rep like a fine tuned machine! I am inspired by the fact that much like Trevor, I reach cardiovascular failure before I do muscular failure. At 10 reps, I am done, but I know I have more for the next training session! Was it scary?, hell yes it was! A quad can tear, rupture, but this is not allowed in our realm. We will not succumb to such negative thought, instead we stay focused on that intense energy that is created by fear. Damn!! after a set like this I want to grab the nearest female and like a caveman carry her off to praise my manly strength!! Just kidding, but it is a great feeling to move that much weight with authority!
Training is an outlet, a channel device in which I take every frustration I have known in the past months and unleash it on the weights. I feel my body growing each day. When those close to me see me with out a shirt, they immediately start to point out new detail to my physique. Am I enthused, **** yes, if only I had met Trevor on day one of my training journey, but perhaps 12 would have been too young. Fear no more! I am animal! I am power! I am a demon, satisfied only by quenching my thirst for muscle and of course females, but that would be a column for another site.

OK, so I touched upon what fear can do for you in the gym, but loathing?!? As stated I do not loathe Trevor, he is like a brother, but there are times in the gym that he makes me loathe him by giving me what I want!? I know, it does not make sense, in getting what I want, I loathe him. All I can say is that when any of you take the challenge to be put through a BFT workout by Trevor, you too, will loathe him, if not for just a moment as he tortures you for an hour of your life! You will wish that hour could somehow speed up! So how and when have I loathed my friend? Shoulder day, last week. I had missed two shoulder workouts due to my not feeling well. This was my first session for shoulders in two weeks and I needed it to be intense. Trevor and I start with seated laterals, quadruple drops with forced reps, of course..... Trevor's set started with 115 lb dumbbells, then to 75's, down to 50 and then finishing with 30 lb dumbbells. In writing I cannot communicate the intensity that goes into a set like this, but I will describe my set. I grabbed the 105 lb dumbbells, the 65's, 40's and 20's. Trevor has been on me to not use my traps in this exercise. I tend to tense up and utilize too much trap rather then delt. As I grab the 105's I feel that switch in my head click on. It is go time and I am ready to grow. The 105's feel good as I raise them up, a slight pause at the top and control them all the way down. After the 5th rep, it is time to drop to the 65's. Usually this type of weight would feel light, but after the battle with the 105's, I am only good for 4 reps before having to drop them and grab the 40's. The mistake I continue to make is thinking that when I pick up the lighter dumbbells it will make the set "easier". The set only gets harder as you go through. The 40 lb dumbbells now feel like they weight 105 lbs. I am resigned to doing only 6 more reps until I must grab the 20's. It is funny to see all in the gym look on as we struggle with that last weight; if it were not for them seeing and hearing us struggle through the first part of the set, they may think us weak. Those 20lb dumbbells actually feel heavy! I struggle through about 5 and it is time to stop. One set and I am so pumped I want to call it a day, but no, it has only just begun. After the dumbbell laterals it is on to machine laterals. One set, ZMR style with triple drops and forced reps. Next, we go over to the Smith and start to set up for the front military press. The incline on the bench is slight, just enough to accommodate men of size that cannot sit straight up and down; this would leave us unable to breath!

Trevor goes first on this exercise; therefore, we load the bar to 495lbs. 5 plates on each side for the first part of a triple drop set of front military presses. Usually Trevor will sit and wait for the switch in his head to totally turn on. After the grueling set of laterals it is necessary to give the brain a few minutes if not several to regain focus on the task of building balloon sized shoulders. I now must go through the gym and find a second spotter. It is so funny to see guys act like they cannot see me trying to get their attention, or watch them scuffle off to another part of the gym, too far too offer any assistance to us. The members are now learning about the sets Trevor and I do, so they know there is work involved in stripping the weight and offering a spot when needed. As Trevor stands from the bench to do his set I find a young man willing to help. Again, it is humorous to see the look in their eyes as they look at Trevor preparing to go to work. It is a confused look, I know they are wondering whether or not Trevor will turn on them after the set should he be hungry! The set starts, The weight is brought down to chin level slow and controlled. Once at the bottom, a slight pause and the weight is squeezed slowly to the top. After 2 reps done in the strictest of fashion, it is time for the 1st drop. The first 2 reps were not done in the manner most would do, they are CONTROLLED, the delts are made to hurt on purpose. The drop is made to 315lbs and Trevor continues. He pushed the weight in the same controlled process for another 3 reps and a 4th forced, again we drop the weight to 225lbs. By now the delts are starting to feel like jelly. In my experience they actually start to not fire. Meaning that the neuromuscular function is failing altogether. Trevor fights through it for another couple of reps and again we drop the bar to 135lbs. Under any other circumstances 135 would feel like a feather, but after the type of work that has just taken place, it feels more to Trevor like a ton! I move behind him and to further the intensity and the pain he will feel, I lean on the bar just enough to stop it from coming up. I have learned to let up only as the color in Trevor's face changes. I let up a little as he turns red and then a little more as the red goes to purple. I know it is time to help only when the purple goes to a yellowish hue and saliva froths from his mouth. This tell me that the "puke response" is close and I do not want to be in the vicinity when and if he blows! To watch a set like this motivates me beyond words. As Trevor regains his composure and fights off the, "puke response", I load the bar to 405 lbs. I have had ample rest time and only wait for Trevor to somewhat recuperate from his set. Trevor goes to get a spotter and I now look into the mirror asking myself what it is I want. In my mind I get rid of everyone in the gym. There are no other machines except the Smith that I am using and the walls become pitch black. I hear no voices, I see no one, only what is in front of me in the mirror. Silently I ask myself, "What do you want?" , "Just how much do you want to grow?" I climb into the machine and prepare for lift off. I am still spent from the laterals and still feeling pumped from the work that went into that set. As I grip the bar I feel powerful, I feel unstoppable, I am ready to grow! Anyone that has used a Smith machine knows that as soon as you unlock the hooks the weight is now on you. As I turn the bar and feel the weight transfer from the pegs to my shoulders, I start to focus beyond explanation. On this day 405 goes up and down 3 times on my own and a 4th time forced. The set now begins as the weight is stripped to 315lbs. This provides no relief, trust me, it feels just as heavy, which is why I manage one freakin rep before having to strip the bar. Now at 225, I feel as though I can get a second wind, but no, there is no second wind in BFT training. The 225 on the bar might as well be an elephant, I struggle for 2 and again it is time to drop to 135. It is now Trevor's turn to lean on the bar and I see a hint of a smirk as he leans with probably half of his bodyweight on the bar. It is not moving and he is still leaning. I am now seeing the red, to the purple, to the pale look of sickness as I push harder and harder on the bar. Trevor eventually helps me to the top and the set has come to an end. There is a gurgle in my throat, a bubbling in my belly and a distinct smell in my nostrils as my own puke is so wanting to project on to the mirror. I will not let this happen, no way, not today, but it takes maximum concentration to talk myself out of it.

Loathe I said, yes, Loathe. Well, after going through the dumbbell and machine laterals and then front presses on the smith machine, it is now time for a final set of presses, this time super slow style. When loaded, 225 looks so very light, but after the hell that has been experienced it feels like 1,000 lbs!!!, especially when it calls for a 5 second decent, 5 second pause and then a 5 second ascent. Trevor and I both do our set, yes, there is agony, hurt, and that pleasant release of emotion when the set is done. Rear delts are done (one set to failure on the rear delt machine), Triceps are punished (one gruesomely long and painful set) and we are out the door. Silently I am thanking Trevor and cursing him at the same time. We could have so much fun golfing or bowling, but no, we chose bodybuilding; furthermore, Trevor developed BFT! Oh the joy of feeling sick for an entire afternoon.

[Matt Cena]

This is part 1 of 2 for the 3rd installment of Ground Zero. I am going to ask Trevor to post the 2nd part, perhaps in the middle of June so you the readers can get more of the descriptions of my pain in the gym. To finish this part of the column, I elected to pay homage to David Letterman by writing a top 10 list of answers to the most popular questions asked of Trevor and I in the gym. Here goes... mind you the list goes from 10 to 1, 1 being the most annoying.

10) No, we are not training for a strongman event.

9) No, we are not trying to injure ourselves, we do train this way on purpose.

8) No, my training partner, (Trevor), is not a mute, he actually does talk time to time.

7) No, my training partner, (Trevor), is not having a heart attack, he is only convulsing due to the gagging he is doing into his gym bag. He does this so as to not puke all over me or those around us should it happen.

6) No, the machines in the gym are not made to have additional plates stacked all over them, but what are we to do?, and again, yes we do stack them on purpose. We actually like training this way.

5) No, we are not powerlifters, When was the last time you saw a powerlifter utilizing a pec dec? We respect powerlifters for what they do and how they do it, we just train very hard and as it happens very very heavy. I can see it now, a new event in powerlifing, the pec dec, "Now loading, 600 pounds......."

4) No, we are not being lazy by placing a bench under us as we squat, we are doing as few if any do by doing squat pauses, and not bouncing off the bottom....

3) No, it is not a good time to ask me about your diet, or your last course, or where you can get gear for a course!!! Can't you see my training partner under that bar, slowly changing colors, meaning that not so far in the future is the dreaded, "puke response", better known as the "gag response".

2) Yes, we are waiting on the Smith Machine!, (Just picture Trevor and I patiently looming behind someone as they slowly do set after set of singles on a flat bench under the Smith machine!) This is more of an inside thing as anyone at Gold's on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 8:30am knows that Trevor and I use the Smith every workout.) There are actually those that race us to it now! You want to see Trevor really really angry, just make him wait more than a couple of minutes for a machine while you do a totally nonsensical routine.

#1) NO, YOU CANNOT HAVE ONE OF THE SHIRTS MY PARTNER WEARS! YOU MAY BUY ONE LIKE ANYONE ELSE! AND NO! YOU CANNOT JUST HAVE ONE OF THE HATS HE WEARS, THOSE TOO ARE FOR SALE. This is number one, because I am asked this way too much. Ask Trevor!!!

[Matt Cena]

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas...... Part II

There are two parts to this column for the sole reason that I enjoy writing it and wanted to provide as much information about Trevor and my training as possible......

This entire 2nd part covers the much anticipated back training explanation of BFT. This is the training session that yields more LOATHING, than it would fear. Why?, you ask, well two reasons. First is that while Trevor is strong on all movements that we do, he seems to have an extra amount of strength on back and leg days. The second reason is that I so want to bring my back width up to match that of my shoulders that I am just plain hard on myself when it comes to back training.

To date, all back training sessions have started with the same exercise. We start with the Hammer pullover machine. This is not one of my favorite machines, but it does seem to give that stretch that is needed when wanting to reach full muscular potential through the lats. When I speak of lats, please picture what it is I want. I do not want the classic V shape that so many of yester year strived for. I would rather fight to build the Dorian-esque lats that appear to be two slabs of meat hanging off the side of the body. Two slabs of vascular, thick, dense striated muscle! This is what the goal is! Upon starting a light warm-up is done, more for the shoulders on my part as I have experienced one too many shoulder injuries and want to insure they are stretched. After warming up, we LOAD the machine. LOAD is done in capitals due to the fact that Trevor is now up to 5 plates on each side and moving them quite easy. This first part of the drop is done for 6-7 reps, and then I drop the weight to 3 plates on each side so he may continue. What I still find amazing is that as easy as the 5 plates move, they also exhaust the back muscles and leave him able to move the 3 plates for only 4 reps or so. It is after this that I drop the machine again to 2 plates and Trevor performs the last part of the set. It is here that the reps start to tear each and every one of the last fibers that did not respond to the larger weights. It is also here that as you have been told in the past, Trevor not only changes colors, but also froths continuously at the mouth! Damn, this can be frustrating as one is trying to spot from the front. Lucky for me, this drop is usually the shortest as Trevor is spent from the first two parts of the set. My turn!, the machine is loaded back to 4 plates on each side as I prepare to do my set. The development of my lats is so very important to me that I take these sets beyond serious. As of late, I have been frustrated that I am not feeling what I need to in my back due to some previous injuries to the elbows. Once the pain in the elbows flares up, it is hard to focus 100% on the back.. I get frustrated more so that I am having a hard time focusing. Pain can be endured, but when it takes one's focus away, it leaves places for more injuries to occur. I reach 5 reps on this first weight and it is time for the 1st drop. The machine is taken down to 2 plates, and I keep moving. Understand that by now, my elbows and my back are screaming in pain. The fibers in the lats stretch more each set, while my elbows feel as though hammers are pounding on them! After 5-6 reps, it is time to take the machine down to 1 plate, that is right 1 plate on each side. This weight should feel easy, but by now it is feeling just as 4 plates was in the beginning. Struggling through another 5-6 reps is hell, but once it is done a feeling of relief comes over me. Pullovers are finished, yes, just one giant work set. Trust me, when done right, this is all most should need. Proof lies in the fact that Trevor continues to grow well past 360, while adding density to his back, and I, while dieting still see muscular gain to my physique.

We move on to the Hammer row. It is not the row made popular by Dorian, but instead a version of the machine that leaves the one doing it to pull the weight up and towards the shoulder blade, instead of straight to you. It is an awkward machine to use, but does produce a burn in the outer lat that is again needed in my case. The only way we are able to perform the exercise is to do it one arm at a time. We do not fit into the machine straight on; therefore, it is necessary to turn the body slightly for two reasons. The first reason for turning the body is so you may rotate the body at the end of the movement to further contract the lat. The second is that gripping the lever is awkward due to the angle of it. Anyway, this is done straight, no drops. A weight is selected and reps are done until the one doing it completes a final 3 forced reps. Maintaining your grip is hard on this machine as once the lats start to exhaust, some of the weight is shifted to the forearms, it is not a pleasant feeling! Trevor rows on this machine with 5 plates on each side. This too causes anger, not at Trevor, the machine, as it barely holds the 5 plates. I, while spotting, must reach over and hold the 5th plate on. As if BFT is not enough work, now I am holding plates on! Me, I stick to 3, sometimes 4 plates, this is more than enough! Trust me. After one agonizing set, it is time to move on to a new exercise for us, the T bar row. Here we do two sets, the first is our, "ego set", just kidding, but both of us like throwing on 8 plates and going to work! The hardest part, for me, on this movement is just standing up with the weight, lower back injuries are not fun. After we both complete this set, we now drop the weight to 5 plates and do pause sets. In saying pause, I mean that at the top of the movement, we hold the weight for a count of 5, while flexing the erectors and lower lats. This set is harder than the heavier set in that after 5-6 reps, just holding that much weight at the top is tough. By now, my lats, actually my entire back is pumped. Recently, Trevor had me do a finishing movement where we use the angled T bar, and use one arm at a time. It is done to give the lats a last burst of blood before moving on to biceps. After reading this, I know that some will question the supposed, "lack of volume", but trust me when witnessed, or better yet performed you will scream, whimper and hurt all the way through.

In the next Ground Zero column, I will describe the brief, yet very very intense biceps and triceps training. These are the two bodyparts that most do not believe can benefit from one, long, painful set. I will attempt in word to describe how one of the principles of BFT, being that the training sessions are performed so that one training session compliments the other, is the key to making the arm routines work.

Having watched many bodybuilding video's, I cannot express enough that when the BFT video is made, these words in this column and the others before will make more sense. Witnessing Trevor train, and training with him, gives me the feeling I had seeing Dorian train on the, Blood and Guts video. I will close this column with something I have done over the years, but now feel I am mastering in my training.

Going into a gym is a different experience for each individual. Some are there for stress release, some to build a massive physique, others more for the social part of it all. Anyone that wants to be successful at BFT has to understand that it takes more than a desire to go beyond failure. It takes the ability to flick a switch in your head, to change into something that defines intensity. Intensity is not judged by how loud, or how heavy one may train, it is their ability to focus beyond the realm of just seeing yourself in the mirror. Since starting with Trevor in the gym, I do not see myself as I am now, rather, I see what it is I want to build. Much like an architect, I focus on the finished product. The finished product for me personally may never happen, I am never happy with my development. It is the quest to find that finished product that I focus on. Each rep, every set, exercise after exercise I try to push the envelope, mentally, physically, and to a degree spiritually. Those seeing us train think that we are one rep away from an injury, yet I have witnessed injuries when one was warming up with the lightest of weights. I have thrown out my back by turning too quick or leaning over too fast. Both Trevor and I are very much in control in the gym. I may joke about frothing at the mouth, which does happen, or the degree of color change in Trevor's face as we train, but my real message is not a joke. It is written to show you that no amount of intensity is enough, what is enough? Any of you deciding to challenge yourself enough to do BFT, please know that it is a mindset, the ability to knock down the negative thoughts that can limit our training. Once the switch is on, one cannot think about significant others, car trouble, finances, any of life's problems. I see my training as a blessing in many ways, but one in particular is that I can stop stressing about life for an hour, and take it all out on my body, not in a negative way, but one that will yield, for me, positive

[Matt Cena]

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The Return of the Black Prince
Robbie Robinson has been a legend in the sport of bodybuilding for over 25 years. He was there during Arnold's reign, he was there during Haney's reign and he was there during Dorian's reign. And he wasn't just there during these 25 years he was COMPETING!! Remember the inaugural Arnold Classic....Robbie Robinson lost a very close decision to Rich Gaspari and most people felt the show was rightfully Robbies. In the 1990's Robbie captured the first Masters Olympia--a show designed specifically for Lou Ferrigno to win no less. In the latter part of the 1990's Robbie seemed to slow down and it seemed as though the Black Prince was done with the sport. Still competing at the Masters Olympia, Robbie just didn't look the same and each year for the past 3 years it looked like the fire was gone and the show was automatically Vince Taylor's, with Robbie fading into obscurity. A few months ago Robbie Robinson started having me consult with him on getting back into top form and into the swing of things again. I made some drastic changes to his regime and then I did not see him for a few months. He called me up 7 weeks ago asking me to come take a look at him and make any corrections I see fit to help his quest to re-capture the Masters Olympia title. No small feat considering Robbie had just turned 54 years old.....That's right 54. I told Robbie that I thought he could shock the world if along with taking my advice he trained in the style I train in and advocate.....Beyond Failure Training. Robbie was game for anything it seemed---little did he know what lie ahead.
Over the next 7 weeks I trained Robbie 4 times per week and each session lasting 25-30 minutes tops (trust me Robbie will tell you it was too much) What happened was one of the most amazing transformations I have ever seen. Not only did Robbie re-gain his top form of all time...he surpassed it. His once shallow chest was now thick and round, his triceps were bigger and fuller than ever, his back was at it's all time widest, and the most shocking improvement were his legs. Once a horrible weakness, Robbie's legs were now separated, vascular columns complete with outer sweep and hamstrings for the first time in his entire life. As of today Robbie is leaving to fly to the Masters Olympia in Roanoke Virginia, to be held in conjunction with the Jan-Tana. I felt it was important to let the world see what can be achieved with the right information, the right guidance and the will to always learn and improve. Most professionals have terrible attitudes and have a hard time excepting the fact that someone who is not yet themselves a pro could help them out in any way....they think they know it all. Not Robbie Robinson.
And now without further adieu here is the 2000 version of Robbie Robinson.
5'8" and 227 shredded pounds.

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[Matt Cena]

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Interview with Lee Priest

EDITORS NOTE*

LEE PRIEST. IFBB PROFESSIONAL SINCE 1993, HAS ACHIEVED AND ACCOMPLISHED MORE THAN ANY BODYBUILDER CAN DESIRE. MEETING WITH LEE HAS ALLOWED ME TO SEE THAT HIS RECOGNITION AND POPULARITY IN THE SPORT OF BODYBUILDING HAS NOT MADE HIM OBNOXIOUS OR COCKY AT ALL. DESPITE ALL THE PRESS LEE RECEIVES FOR HIS "OUTSPOKEN" COMMENTS, HE PROJECTS A MODEST DEMEANOR AND A HUMANE EXISTENCE. LEE DONATES MONEY TO HOMELESS SHELTERS AND CHILDREN AND FILLS HIS HOME WITH RESCUED ANIMALS. HE REGULARLY HOSTS DINNER PARTIES AND BARBECUES FOR HIS FRIENDS STOCKED WITH ENORMOUS SUPPLIES TO FILL EACH GUEST FOR A WEEK. I’M SURE THIS IS NOT THE PICTURE YOU IMAGINE WHEN YOU THINK OF LEE PRIEST. HERE IS A GUY WHO IS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO KNOW HOW TO ENJOY HIS SUCCESS, HIS MONEY, HIS FRIENDS AND HIS FAMILY.

WITHOUT QUESTION, WHEN THE WORD HARD-CORE IS MENTIONED LEE PRIEST’S NAME IS NOT TOO FAR BEHIND. AT 5’5’’ AND AN OFFSEASON WEIGHT BETWEEN 285-300LBS (STILL SHOWING ABS!!) ONE COULD EASILY ARGUE THAT POUND FOR POUND; LEE PRIEST IS THE BIGGEST MAN IN THE SPORT. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN WITH THE MAN KNOWN AS "THE BLOND MYTH" AND DELVE DEEP INTO HIS THOUGHTS ON BODYBUILDING COMPETITION, NUTRITION, TRAINING AND PHARMACEUTICALS… LEE I HAVE TO TELL YOU, SEEING YOU EVERY YEAR COME IN SHREDDED AND HUGE AND STILL PLACE BEHIND PEOPLE LIKE DILLET AND RAY MAKES ME LOSE ALL HOPE THAT BODYBUILDING WILL EVER BE A TRUE SPORT. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHY YOU GET PLACED BELOW SOMEONE LIKE SHAWN RAY WHO HAS NOT GAINED SO MUCH AS 5 POUNDS OF TISSUE SINCE FIRST TURNING PRO BACK IN 1987. I MEAN, IF WE TOOK THE TOP BODYBUILDERS FROM 1987 AND HAD THEM SOMEHOW COMPETE TODAY, NOT ONE OF THEM—EXCEPT FOR LEE HANEY---WOULD BE ABLE TO COMPETE AT EVEN LOWER CALIBER PRO-SHOW. BE HONEST AND SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
I don’t know? Some people say it’s the height thing with me only being 5’5’’, but Shawn is only 2 inches taller than I am. They say he’s got the perfect symmetry, and I really don’t feel my symmetry is any better or worse than his is, but mass wise I have a lot more mass than Shawn does. I think it’s because he’s black that he places ahead of me, I mean I am not racist, but if you look over the past 3 years, the I.F.B.B. has stood for the International Federation Of Black Bodybuilders…

(LEE WAS WAS LAUGHING HISTERICALLY AT THIS POINT AND TOTALLY JOKING, MOCKINGLY IMPLYING THAT REVERSE RACISM IS THE CAUSE OF HIS PLACINGS, SO PLEASE DON'T EMAIL ME COMMENTS THAT LEE IS A RACIST...HE WAS TOTALLY JOKING)

I also think, with Shawn, since he’s been around so long, he walks on stage and automatically gets placed in the top 5. The same thing happens with Flex. Now with Flex he almost always deserves it, but on occasion he has come in less than sharp and still gets placed high, hell sometimes he even wins. Remember the Iron Man a few years ago when Aaron Baker looked fucking insane and he lost to and out of shape Flex? I honestly think the judges are too lazy to sometimes even look up to see who is actually in shape and who isn’t. If an unknown comes along, like Marcus Ruhl, and he is the best on that day, he should win. Yet they place guys who are known and not in shape ahead of him, and this poor guy is left wondering what the fuck he has to do to get a fair deal. Again I think it goes back to the judges being too lazy, they know someone like Flex is entering a show and they automatically place him in a top spot before they ever even see what he looks like.
THIS IS TRUE, BUT THE BIZARRE THING WITH SHAWN IS THAT HE IS NOT IN THE LIMELIGHT ALL THAT MUCH, ALL HE DOES IS ONE SHOW A YEAR.
I guess we just have to put it under the category of the Bermuda Triangle or Rosewell…..No one is really quite sure why these mystical events occur, but they do…
THE OTHER DAY I GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH A GUY WHO SWORE THAT HE "KNOWS" THAT YOU USE 1 GRAM OF TEST PER DAY 365 DAYS PER YEAR. HELL EVEN MY EX-PARTNER BORRESEN WOULD GO AROUND CLAIMING YOU USED 3000MG OF GEAR PER DAY. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THESE AND ALL OTHER OUTRAGEOUS CLAIMS THAT ARE CONSTANTLY FLOATED ABOUT YOU, PARTICULARLY ON THESE INTERNET BODYBUILDING BOARDS?
Oh well the experts on the Internet bodybuilding boards…well they know everything now don’t they. In fact, I go on the boards just to find out what I am supposed to be taking in case I forget. Lord knows that one would be foolish not to listen to guys hiding behind a computer that use more gear than a stable of race-horses and all they have to show for it is a 195lb. piss-poor physique shriveled nuts and a nice case of gyno. The fact is when it comes to training, diet and drugs; I’ve always been honest and tell people what exactly I do. And when I tell them that courses for me are something like 2cc’s of deca and 2cc’s of primo a week for 6-8 weeks, they tell me bullshit 2cc’s, more like 2 bottles. What can I say, some guys go way overboard, but I don’t. I hate needles and I’d much rather just get fat and train heavy in the off-season.
Last year at the Ironman, people complained about my condition and said I was through, but the fact is, is that I did that show totally natural just to prove I could do it. Sure I was 15lbs smaller and not as hard, but I still looked pretty good. I’d like to see the other guys do a show naturally. Oh I forgot, Ronnie Coleman is the Natural Mr. Olympia…

ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT I HAVE FIRST HAND KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT YOUR COURSES HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST AND THEY ARE LESS THAN WHAT STATE LEVEL COMPETITORS USE. OF COURSE IF I HAVE MY WAY, THAT WILL ALL CHANGE
Like I said, I hate needles and hate taking the shit. I use 3 or 4 compounds ( primo, winstrol, clen and maybe some gh) all in small amounts during my precontest training because it helps me keep my size and helps me recovery
WELL WHAT DO YOU DO IN THE OFFSEASON THAN?
Nothing! Or almost nothing. I typically will do one mass course consisting of deca and primo in the amounts I mentioned before for 6-8 weeks and then I’ll have 4-6 months clean depending on when my next show is. I really don’t give a fuck if people believe it, but that’s the truth. If it helps them to justify why I am a pro and they are not, they will believe that I walk around with a blatter pack of test on an I.V. drip all day long. Remember that article on the web last year called the Dead Pool?
DON’T YOU EVER WONDER WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU DID A COUPLE OF MORE AGGRESSIVE MASS COURSES DURING YOUR OFFSEASON? CHRIST, YOU’D PROBABLY COMPETE AT 230LBS. SHREDDED AT A HEIGHT OF 5’5’’(WHICH WOULD EQUATE TO 250LBS. IN THE BODYBUILDING MAGAZINES SEEING HOW THEY ALWAYS LIE ABOUT THE COMPETITORS WEIGHTS)….THAT WOULD BE INSANE
Yeah, when I hear the amounts others are using and the amounts I’m supposed to be using, it makes me wonder. Especially since the little amounts I use now have resulted in good gains. But then you run the risk of falling into the "if 2 work then 4 must be better" and where does it stop?
THAT STATEMENT HAS SOME VALIDITY, BUT I THINK YOU ERROR ON THE SIDE OF BEING WAY TO CONSERVATIVE. THERE’S A FINE LINE BETWEEN ABUSE AND PROPER USE OF LARGER AMOUNTS AT THE RIGHT TIMES. MY OWN THOUGHTS ARE THAT YOU DO NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF THE NEWER TRENDS AND NEWER TECHNOLOGY THAT COULD MAKE A REAL CHANGE IN AN ALREADY FREAKY PHYSIQUE
I am though…(laughing) Look see, as we speak I am eating 2 hotdogs and a diet mountain dew…That’s my heavy cycle
WATCH OUT NOW, WITHIN 3 DAYS THERE WILL BE RUMORS ALL OVER THE INTERNET THAT LEE PRIEST EATS 30 HOTDOGS AND WASHES IT DOWN WITH A CASE OF DIET MOUNTAIN DEW…..
I know…..sometimes I start rumors on myself, just to see how fast these fucking idiots spread them…I had an ingrown hair in my head that was removed last year and within a few days I was getting calls from my friend in Texas saying he heard I had brain cancer..
WELL THEN YOU SHOULD GET A BURIAL PLOT NEXT TO ME, BECAUSE ACCORDING TO BORRESEN, I’M DYING OF BRAIN CANCER…..
LET’S GET BACK TO BORRESEN FOR A SECOND. WHEN I FIRST MET HIM HE SAID THAT YOU AND MILOS (SARCEV) WERE DOING THE BRITISH GRAND PRIX AND SPECIFICALLY WANTED TO TALK WITH PAUL ABOUT HIS THEORIES. IS THIS CORRECT?

No, I didn’t even know Paul. Milos and myself were eating ice cream and apple pie after the contest and Kerry Kayes came into the restaurant with some of the guys from Chemical Warfare (his company). They sat at the table next to us and Kerry (who Milos and myself knew well) introduced everyone to us. One of the guys was Paul. I think we spoke 5 maybe 10 words to him, we mainly spoke with Kerry the whole time.
THAT’S FUNNY, CAUSE THE STORY I GOT FROM PAUL, WAS THAT HE WAS SITTING WITH YOU AND MILOS AND YOU WERE PICKING HIS BRAIN AND KERRY CAME IN AND INTRODUCED HIMSELF TO YOU GUYS AND YOU TOLD HIM TO KINDLY LEAVE YOU ALONE AS YOU WANTED TO ONLY SPEAK WITH PAUL….
Sorry, but it just did not happen that way. But look at the source.
BACK TO BODYBUILDING, WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THIS OFFSEASON AND UPCOMING CONTEST SEASON?
For the offseason….EATING! Actually I only have 2 months left before I start my contest prep for the NOC
ARE YOU GOING TO DO A MASS COURSE BEFORE THAT?
I don’t know….don’t push me (laughing) Have I got enough time to do one?
WELL YOU HAVE 8 WEEKS BEFORE YOU START YOUR CONTEST PREP AND THE MASS COURSE WOULD ONLY BE 4 OR 6 WEEKS….
I might then….I might…If I am a good boy, I might….Then I’ll do the NOC and Mr. Olympia. So if I have time I will do the mass course you map out for me, then I will go into pre-contest for the NOC. Then I have about 2 months off and then start dieting again for the Mr. Olympia.
WHAT IS A TYPICAL DAY OF EATING IN THE OFF SEASON FOR LEE PRIEST. (ACCORDING TO PAUL IT’S GOBS OF INSULIN AND 30 BIG MACS) AND JUST YESTERDAY, I WAS SENT AN ANONYMOUS GOSSIP COLUMN THAT CLAIMED YOU WERE SPOTTED EATING 2 LARGE PIZZAS BY YOURSELF. BUT I THINK YOU ARE A SLIGHTLY MORE RELIABLE SOURCE ON THE MATTER
Well seeing how I don’t like pizza all that much, that story is pretty much shot to shit. When I go to a place like McDonald’s I’ll typically order 2 hamburgers, small fried, a shack and 6 chicken nuggets. I never eat large amounts at any one sitting I just eat what I want all throughout the day, constantly picking at food. As for insulin use, I’m hypoglycemic and cannot use insulin and have no desire to anyway. If you want I’ll give you my doctor’s number and he can show you my blood sugar tests.
WHAT ARE YOU WEIGHING RIGHT NOW?
Well I just got over stomach flu last week, which made me lose 12 lbs., so I’m currently 242. Getting back to the ridiculous claims about people seeing me eat in a restaurant, I’d love to know who the fuck they are seeing because I rarely go out to eat. To me it’s hit the drive through and go home.
YOU MEAN YOU’RE NOT A FIXTURE AT THE "FIREHOUSE"?
Fuck the FIREHOUSE! The food sucks, and it’s overpriced. It’s where the "IN-CROWD" goes to be seen eating their chicken breast and rice looking like fat bags of shit and gossiping about people like me. You ever notice that there are always 20 out-of town wannabe bodybuilders wearing spandex tank tops bloated and holding 40 pounds of water trying to be noticed?
YEAH, IT’S FUCKING SAD. BODYBUILDERS’ WONDER WHY THE GENERAL PUBLIC DOESN’T ACCEPT THEM, YET THERE ARE SOME THAT PRACTICALLY WALK AROUND WITH NEON SIGNS AROUND THEIR NECKS SAYING "NOTICE ME". UNFORTUNATELY BODYBUILDING ATTRACTS A LOT OF INSECURE PEOPLE WHO THINK THEY ARE BETTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE JUST BECAUSE THEY HAVE BIGGER ARMS. GETTING BACK TO GEAR USE. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON IT IN TERMS OF THE SPORT AND WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING?
They’re never gonna stop it in any sport. Bodybuilders get accused of being worse than any other sport in terms of use because we look so different. But on a list of steroid use in sports I once read a few years back, bodybuilding was number 8 and soccer players were number 1. My only problem is with the young kids who want to start using them before they have even started training or built up any type of natural base.
WELL ACCORDING TO SOME OF THE RUMORS ABOUT YOU, YOU STARTED USING GEAR WHEN YOU WERE 13 AND IT STUNTED YOUR GROWTH, WHICH IS WHY YOU ARE ONLY 5’5’’.
Well the fact is, I did my first cycle at the age of 19, which was 2 cc’s of Solay Deca a week for 8 weeks. As for my growth being stunted, I’m the tallest in my family. My mom is 5’4", my sister is 5’3’’ my father is 5’5", my grandfather’s 5’3’’ so there goes that theory.
WHAT IS YOUR TRAINING LIKE? I KNOW IT DIFFERS DRAMATICALLY FROM THE WAY I FEEL IT SHOULD BE DONE, BUT I’D LIKE TO HERE IT FROM YOU.
Well, I normally like to keep it heavy if I can, unless I’m injured and have to go light which I hate. I like to do between 6 and 8 reps per sets and a minimum of 16 sets per bodypart, sometimes 20 and for legs even more….but that’s because I’M A FUCKING ANIMAL (jesting and laughing ).

YOU GOT IN TROUBLE LAST YEAR FOR MAKING THE OBVIOUS STATEMENT THAT THE JUDGING IS SUSPECT DUE TO THE FACT THAT CERTAIN JUDGES SLEEP WITH THE COMPETITORS BOTH MALE AND FEMALE. FEEL FREE NOT TO COMMENT, BUT WHERE THE FUCK DO THEY GET OFF FINING YOU, WHEN IT IS PRETTY MUCH COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT AT LEAST ONE RATHER BODACIOUS AND HOT FEMALE JUDGE HAS SCREWED MORE THAN A FEW BODYBUILDERS. EVEN BEING OVERHEARD TO SAY "I DON’T CARE WHAT FLEX LOOKS LIKE, I ALWAYS PLACE HIM AHEAD CAUSE I THINK HE’S SO GODDAMN SEXY!" WHERE THE FUCK DO THEY GET THESE JUDGES? A STRIP CLUB?
Well that’s a good question. I wonder where some of these judges come from and why they are judging. I’m not trying to put anyone down, but some people are qualified to be judges like Mike Katz and Albert Beckles, and some have absolutely no right whatsoever. Nowadays, a lot of the judging is done even before the competitors hit the stage because they expert that a person will be in shape. And god forbid you express your thoughts and it rubs a promoter or official the wrong way, the next thing you know, you’re marked down 4 slots before you even step on stage. To me one thing should have nothing to do with the other. Professionals don’t behave that way. If policemen behave that way they are fired or suspended, if businessmen behave that way they are sued for discrimination. But not the judges. I could tell you dozens of stories about some of the judges, but I cannot afford the fines. (laughing)
WHO ARE SOME OF THE BODYBUILDERS OUT THERE THAT IMPRESS YOU
I’ve always liked the freakier types of physiques. Tom Platz, Phil Hill, Eddie Robinson, Mohammed Benazzizia and of course Dorian. I really liked Dorian because of his work ethic. You could see that he busted his ass when he trained. The guys today give you every fucking excuse in the world not to train and use nothing but machines. Although bodybuilders don’t get a lot of money, the money they do get often makes them lazy. If you look, you can see that some of the pros looked better and trained harder when they were amateurs fighting to win a pro card.
WELL EVEN ARNOLD WAS NOTORIOUS FOR TRAINING 3 MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR AND THEN NOT TOUCHING A WEIGHT FOR THE REST OF THE TIME, AND IF YOU SEE PICTURES OF HIM IN HIS "OFF SEASON" HE’S A SCRAWNY AND SOFT 200LBS.
Right. I can respect Arnold for what he accomplished, but to me I really admire and respect someone like Dorian because he always worked hard and busted his but in the gym every day. Now days, I see some of the top pro’s training and it’s a joke. As soon as the set starts to become uncomfortable they stop. They never push themselves to the point of real pain or discomfort. You never see them crawling out of a gym after training. They look like they just woke up from a nap. It’s sad to see when someone has genetics 10 times better than Dorian, but trains 30 times less hard. They are satisfied with less than their best. To me, my best is all that matters….I would be disgraced even if I won the Mr. Olympia and new I only gave it 70% my best. There’s no honor in that.
HOW DO YOU FEEL DORIAN WOULD FAIR AGAINST RONNIE COLEMAN NOW?
I think Dorian at his best (1993) would easily beat Ronnie. Dorian might not be as symmetrical as Ronnie, but all over he was more complete and in better condition at his best.
THIS YEARS N.O.C. WAS A FUCKING JOKE. HOW ON EARTH DILLET WON IS ANYBODY’S GUESS. THE FACT IS, THAT RUHL WAS 15LBS. BIGGER AND IN BETTER CONDITION AND YET HE GOT STUCK IN FOURTH PLACE. WHAT DOES THIS GUY HAVE TO DO TO GET A FAIR SHAKE.
I like Paul alot and he’s a friend of mine, but I’ve seen him look a lot better and Marcus Ruhl looked incredible. People say that Ruhl’s shapes not that great, but to me his shape is no better or worse than Dorian or Nassers and he has as much mass and in great condition. It goes back to the judging and the lack of consistency. If you notice, they’ll sometimes place a freakier, less symmetrical bodybuilder first and then give second to a symmetrical physique, then give 3rd to another freak etc. There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason half the time and people like Marcus Ruhl pay the price. To me it’s worse for the women because they are constantly having to guess at what the judges are looking for. I feel sorry for them.
I FEEL SORRY FOR THE WOMEN TO…BUT IT’S BECAUSE THEY LOOK LIKE MEN WITH BREAST IMPLANTS….CHRIST SOME OF THESE THINGS LOOK HAVE 5 O’CLOCK SHADOWS AND VOICES DEEPER THAN JAMES EARL JONES NOT TO MENTION WARPED SKELETAL STRUCTURE AND BULGES IN THEIR PANTS FROM THEIR OVER GROWN CLITS…..TO ME THEY ARE WALKING VOMIT INDUCERS. ALRIGHT, LET’S CHANGE THE FOCUS TO THE WOMEN. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE TRANSVESTITE SHOWS MASKED AS "WOMEN’S BODYBUILDING"
Well there are a few out there that still look feminine, but there comes a point when they go way overboard. Lenda Murray had a nice balance between being feminine and muscular as did Cory Everson and Anja Langer. I look at some of these competitors and swear they are guys who had sex changes or they are guys who couldn’t cut it in the men’s division so they just tucked their dicks under, put on some make-up and compete in the women’s division. I mean on the Howard Stern show they had Nicole Bass on and they made her take a DNA test to prove she is a women. Nothing against her, she’s nice and all, but it’s a shame what she did to herself. The general public looks at her and they don’t understand about women’s bodybuilding so they think she is a transvestite and a man.
WELL COUNT ME IN WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC CAUSE I SURE AS FUCK DON’T UNDERSTAND IT EITHER. TO ME, A PHYSIQUE LIKE MONICA BRANDT (LAST YEAR AT THE FITNESS O) SHOULD BE WHAT MISS OLYMPIA IS ALL ABOUT. CORY EVERSON WAS ABOUT AS FAR AS THE ENVELOPE SHOULD BE PUSHED IN MY OPINION. FITNESS COMPETITIONS INJECTED KNEW LIFE INTO THE SPORT FOR WOMEN AND YET WE ARE STARTING TO SEE A LOT OF WIDESPREAD DRUG USE EVEN IN THIS ARENA. CARE TO COMMENT?
Tell me about it, I know lots of fitness girls that live on clenbuterol, cytomel, winstrol and primobolan. Then they go around claiming they are natural and put down other women bodybuilders. But then again you have a lot of men bodybuilders and models that claim to be natural and I know who they are buying their drugs from.
ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT A CERTAIN WELL KNOWN PRETTY BOY "NATURAL UNIVERSE" WINNER WHO IS ALSO CURRENTLY ON A "BATTLING" T.V. SHOW.
Why yes I am….I guess you can say you are steroid free when you mostly use growth hormone and clenbuterol
LET’S TALK ABOUT THE 1999 MR. O AND HOW YOU SAW IT IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME IT WENT COLEMAN, WHEELER, CORMIER, LEVRONE, RAY, EL SONBATY, DILLET, YOURSELF,( Lee interrupts laughing: you mean there was a white guy up there in the top 10, how did that happen) JACKSON AND SARCEV….. I think that it could have gone either way with between Flex and Ronnie. The only thing Ronnie had better than flex was shredded glutes and to me (and according to I.F.B.B. rules) the ass isn’t a judging point, but ronnie walked around with is posing trunks up his ass. To me when my ass is my best bodypart I’m gonna quite the sport. As for the rest of the placings, 3rd through 8th could have gone in any way and made sense. Granted I was a little more depleted than I should have been, but I was in as good or better shape than anyone ahead of me and pound for pound I have as much if not more mass, but who knows.
LAST QUESTION: ANY PREDICTIONS FOR THE COMING YEAR?
Yes…Lee Priest will get screwed no matter what he does and I guarantee no matter how I look at the N.O.C. there will be someone there they place ahead of me.
THAT WOULD LEAVE ONE TO BELIEVE THAT IT MIGHT BEHOOVE YOU TO LISTEN TO MY ADVICE.
(Lee starts laughing before he speaks) What’s that…shave my head and paint myself black? Enter the contest as Shawn Ray? I was thinking for the next Olympia I would paint myself black and put my name down as Shawn Ray seeing how the judges usually don’t even bother to look up to see who it is that they are automatically placing in the top spots.
ACTUALLY I WAS THINKING MORE ALONG THE LINES OF THE MASS COURSE AND CONTEST PREP COURSE I SUGGESTED
I know, but think about it, even if the judges realize there are 2 Shawn Ray’s competing I will probably get placed higher just because of the name recognition.
THANKS LEE, YOU ARE DEFINITELY MY VIEW OF WHAT BODYBUILDING SHOULD BE ABOUT AND IT WOULD BE GREAT TO SEE YOU GET THE PLACINGS YOU DESERVE. HOPEFULLY YOU WOULD BE OPEN TO DO THIS AGAIN SOMETIME.
*NOTE: LEE PRIEST IS NOT IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM A RACIST. ANY REFERENCES TO RACE IN THIS ARTICLE WERE DONE SO PURELY FOR COMICAL PURPOSES. LEE SIMPLY FEELS THAT WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY WHERE AN INORDINATE NUMBER OF INJUSTICES ARE OFTEN BLAMED ON THE COLOR OF ONES SKIN. WHILE THIS IS CERTAINLY TRUE IN MANY, MANY CASES, OUR SOCIETY HAS BECOME SO OVERLY-SENSITIVE AND POLITICALLY CORRECT THAT IF YOU CALL SOMEONE AN ASSHOLE BECAUSE THEY BEHAVE LIKE ONE, AND THEY HAPPEN TO BE OF A DIFFERENT RACE, YOU ARE IMMEDIATELY ACCUSED OF BEING A RACIST. IN THIS ARTICLE, LEE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FUNNY IF HE CRIED REVERSE RACISM AS A WAY TO MOCK THE CURRENT CONDITION OF OUR SOCIETY. I MYSELF FOUND LEE'S SENSE OF HUMOR TO BE REFRESHING IN A WORLD FULL OF BORING ARTICLES THAT GIVE ABSOLUTELY NO INSITE INTO THE HUMAN SIDE OF PROFESSIONAL BODYBUILDERS

[Matt Cena]

http://web.archive.org/web/20030814051856/http://www.nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/articles_header.gif
Nutrition Made Simple

By Trevor L. Smith

Pizza, chocolate, cheeseburgers, french-fries, kentucky fried chicken, chinese food, ice-cream and soda. No, no, this is not the food list for my next holiday party. This is, in fact, what I have come to learn is the mainstay of most succesful and huge pro’s diets in the off-season.
Clenbuterol, lasix, cytomel, E.C.A., DNP. These are,in fact, the tools a lot of Pro’s use to insure that what they eat in the off-season doesn’t result in spare tires, tits and a gut.

I apologize if I shattered anyone’s misconception about what the Pro’s eat. The fact is, the metabolism of the average high level amateur or pro is kicking at a higher level than your average Ed. Because of this, they can get away with eating whatever the fuck they want pretty much all year long—with the exception being contest prep time.
Personally I feel that, unless you are holding quite a bit of bodyfat, it is fool hardy to eat clean all the time. You need look no further than all the big-boys in the sport to find out if this theory holds any water (and fat too!)
You look at someone like Shawn Ray. Great bodybuilder no doubt, but great for circa 1987 where his physique seems to have been stuck in the past 12 years. "Eating Clean" has resulted in a number of pro’s who’s physiques have remained stagnent and unchanged.
I remember a conversation I had with Ian about the difference between the non-american bodybuilders and their american counterparts. He said the one thing he could never understand about the american bodybuilders was their delusion that they had to eat chicken breasts and baked potatoes 24/7 365 days a year. Aside from making dieting even harder than it already is come contest time, it tends to keep the metabolism stuck in neutral. Shocking the system every now and again always keeps the metabolic rate high and in doing this allows more muscle mass to be built, which the last time I checked was the reason bodybuilding became a sport in the first place!
How many pro’s started their careers eating chicken breasts broccoli and potatos, only to make zero progress until they started eating everything and anything in site! You don’t pack on size eating like a gymnast.
I feel that the smart move to make for an off-season bodybuilder looking to acquire new size is to make sure they get in 450-500 grams of protein per day and then eat whatever the hell they want within reason. I’m not suggesting a diet of twinkies and ice cream, but if you desire a little snack after you get in all your nutritional needs…go for it. If controlling fat is a concern, you can always cut back on the carbs.
Following this rule has resulted in more freaks than you can imagine. Why is it that someone like Lee Priest carries 20lbs more tissue than Shawn Ray and is a good 2 inches shorter? It’s in the eating I guarantee it! Both use steroids, and in fact, Shawn has used them for a longer time period as he is both older and has been around longer. For those who think that the difference lies in the amounts I say simply that you would be surprised how far some pro’s get on training and eating like a fucking animal. People like to chalk steroids and gear use up as the deciding factor on why they don’t look like the Pro’s when the reality of the situation is that there are multiple factors at play. But it’s always easier to point the finger and say "he’s a total juice monster and uses a gram of test every day……that’s why he’s a pro and I’m only 215lbs" "I’m not willing to do that to my body!" Yet these same people take offense when they hear the whispers and assinine comments from the general public who think "I could look like that guy, all I have to do is gobble up lots of steroids everyday".
In conclusion, I would suggest and offseason program that relies heavily on protein (450-500 grams a day) and then eat basic, high calorie foods. Things such as milk, whole eggs, steaks and pasta have resulted in more mass then broiled chicken and broccoli every have. Remember, fat can always be stripped off, muscle is a little harder to put on. Pack on the muscle and let the fat come along for the ride……then give yourself time to tighten things up and burn off the fat. Concerning yourself with appearance all year long is a sure fire way to keep your physique from causing heads to turn. There is a time and a place for everything and as the Zen monks say "You cannot serve two masters at once."

[Matt Cena]

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Interview with Vic Richards

By Trevor Smith O.K. O.K…..we all know that some of the biggest and freakiest men ever to compete in the sport are names such as Nasser El Sonbaty, Dorian Yates, Jean Pierre Fux, Marcus Ruhl and Greg Kovacs. In fact, Muscle Mag International and in particular it’s supplement company Muscle-Tech, would have all believe that Greg Kovacs is the largest bodybuilder ever to step on a competitive stage. Now while that may be the case going by sheer numbers—Gregg is around 6’3" and competes between 320 and 330lbs—for my money, the most insane mass freak I have ever laid eyes on in my entire life is someone who never stepped foot on an I.F.B.B. stage. That man is Victor Richards. I was fortunate enough to have an opportunity to speak with this man who is admittedly a bit of a recluse, to gain an insight into how he got started in bodybuilding, what his beliefs are and what he thinks of the current superstars. T.S.: Hello Vic, I have to tell you I didn’t think I was going to be able to track you down…after all you have been all but absent in the sport since 1994. What have you been up to lately?
VR: Basically I just got tired of all the politics and bullshit within the sport. My heart was not in it anymore, so I decided to take some time away to focus on my education and some business ventures.
TS: Why don’t we do this Vic, tell everyone how you got started in bodybuilding.

VR: It was actually a bit of an accident. Back in 1982 I was playing football in high school and never touched a weight, yet at 15 years of age I was already 215 pounds and strong as an Ox. All my friends thought I was some sort of freak of nature because while they were busy hitting the weights to get stronger for football, I spent my time doing other things. Yet whenever there was a strength challenge, I always came out on top. One day a bunch of my friends and I took a trip down to Venice beach, basically to catch some waves and see the girls in bikinis. While we were walking around the Venice beach walk, this bodybuilder stopped me and asked me who I was and what I competed in. When I told him I did not even work out, He couldn’t believe it. He asked me my age and was shocked when he found out I was only 15. He said: "Kid, right now in your shape you would whip every teenagers ass in any competition, you got to come see Gold’s Gym with me" So off we went.
TS: And what was that like
VR: Well I remember going into the gym and seeing all this bodybuilders flexing and staring at themselves in the mirror, walking around without shirts on. The guy who brought us there was pointing different people out saying "That’s Mr. America…..see over there, that’s Mr. Universe and over there that’s Mr. World" and so on
TS: What did you say to him when he was pointing out all the champions to you at that time VR: Actually I did not give a shit about any of those ego filled guys and told him I did not care and was not impressed. After he went through his litany of who’s who, I just wanted to know one thing.
TS: And what was that
VR: Who in the hell the two animal twin brothers where in the back corner bench pressing 500lbs. wearing overalls, flannel shirts and work-boots. To me I never saw anything like them in my whole life. At that moment I knew that was what I wanted…Not to look in the mirror at myself, but to train with the passion and intensity of those two monsters.
TS: I assume you are talking about David and Peter Paul……The Barbarian Brothers.
VR: Exactly, I was totally awe struck. But it gets better. Right after I pointed them out, One of them yells over in a mean growl: "Hey you!" I thought, rather I hoped he was talking to one of my friends, but I soon realized it was me he was pointing to. I said yes in a very nervous manner and he barked back something about me having what it takes to train with them and to come over there. I could not believe it. And that is how I got my start in bodybuilding. Back in 1982 at the age of 15, I began training with the Barbarian brothers.
TS: Damn, they were the shit back then, that must have been really exciting, how did you like the training
VR: It was exactly what I needed. To them training was about the moment, a spiritual quest between you and yourself, no mirrors, no crowds, no applause. Training was sacred and training was hard and training was heavy. Within a few years I had gotten so big and strong, that I actually surpassed both David and Peter in terms of size and strength
TS: That is pretty amazing, what else was going on there at that time
VR: Well after I was training there for about a year, I remember seeing this guy walk in and everyone was crowding around him because he had just won the Mr. America. Now I had seen a lot of the professionals throughout the year, but this guy was different, I never had seen a bodybuilder as freaky looking as him before. So, like a little kid, I ran up to him to ask him some questions and that’s when I got my first sour taste of the sport…..The Bad Attitudes. As soon as I opened my mouth, he turned to me and screamed for me to get away from him and not to disturb his training. Now I can understand if he would have said "Son, I cannot be disturbed when I am training, but I will be happy to answer your questions when I am finished" But instead he humiliated me in front of the whole gym, and I left very embarrassed and upset.
TS: Who was that bodybuilder?
VR: Tim Belknap
TS: Did you ever see him after you made a name for yourself and tell him about how he treated you?
VR: Strangely enough about a year later, I had made such tremendous progress and started making a big name for myself, so one day in Gold’s, he came up to me and was super nice and said "Hey Vic, man you look amazing, what are you doing to get so big" or something to that effect.
TS: What did you say?
VR: I said, you don’t remember me do you? He was confused and so I told him about what happened last year and he was backpedaling saying that he didn’t remember doing that and that he was sorry. To me I could have embarrassed him and evened the score, but that would have only brought me to his level. He knew I had surpassed him in terms of his physique and that was enough for me.
TS: That’s a pretty funny story. It amazes me how guys who nobody knows who the fuck they are 5 miles out of Venice Beach California, have the attitude of overpaid actors and actresses or overpaid football players. It is a shame that they don’t realize in the greater scheme of things they are as insignificant as a spec of flea shit on the back of a fly feeding on the rotted carcass of a sewer rat.
VR: Right, that is one of the things I hate about the sport. The backstabbing, the politics, the attitudes. It is just not my thing. All I care about or ever cared about is training. To me training is like meditation. I can focus on my inner self and do not have to worry about judges or anyone else for that matter.
TS: Well Vic, I remember reading about you for the first time in 1987….I think then you were like 280lbs. when everyone else was 240-250…How come you didn’t compete then
VR: Well you have to understand, I did two competitions as a teenager (one of them against Rich Gaspari who was 2 years older than me) and after my second competition, which I won, I remember walking into the parking lot carrying my trophy and having it literally fall apart in my hand because it was such a piece of shit. At that point I thought to myself, "All this hard work for a trophy that can’t even stay in one piece" So I decided to just get totally enveloped in my training and get as big as I could
TS: Well you certainly did that….There was talk in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s that you were going to enter the NPC USA CHAMPIONSHIPS. In fact I remember waiting in anticipation to see you come out on stage and dwarf everyone on stage. Why did that never happen. I mean, you were doing a lot of guestposing for the MUSCLEMANIA shows and I think you were hitting the stage at a pretty hard 292lbs. Remember this is back when Haney was doing his last Olympia at 243lbs. and Dorian was coming on at 240lbs. So to me I thought you would crush a hell of a lot of people seeing how you were outweighing everyone by 40 or 50 lbs.
VR: This is pretty interesting. You see, bodybuilding is all about power and control. The competitors are nothing but pieces of meat to the powers that be. I was getting a lot of guest posing work for NPC sanctioned shows, and the powers that be felt it was unfair that I was not an I.F.B.B. Pro. Basically they were putting pressure on the promoters not to allow me to guest pose. I felt they were trying to get me to compete in the NPC for the sole purpose of making me look like a fool on stage.
TS: How would they do that if you came into a show in shredded condition 50 pounds heavier than your nearest competitor?
VR: Oh come on, do you really think that the best man wins? I was not going to be made a fool even if for only one show. Nobody was going to force me to compete
TS: Then how come you competing in the Nigerian Championships to get your Pro-Card in 1992?
VR: That is a funny story. You see, after the heads of the NPC and the IFBB were putting pressure on promoters to not hire me for guest posings, I simply went over to Europe and made a killing. Their power was not immediately felt over there. However, it wasn’t long before I started to feel their wrath, and even the guest posings over there began being cancelled due to fear of reparations from the powers that be. It was around this time that I had gotten a contract with Joe Weider—who is really a great guy—and even Joe was getting a lot of pressure for me to have to compete. Everyone thinks that Joe controls the sport, but he really doesn’t. There are a lot more powerful people behind the wheel.
TS: So Joe told you that you had to compete in the Nigerian Championships to keep your contract?
VR: No, Joe just said that I needed to compete and get my pro card. Now obviously, the powers that be, thought I would have to due the NPC Nationals, North American, or the USA to get my pro card, and this would be their chance to teach me a lesson. Except they forgot one small detail.
TS: Which was?
VR: I held duel citizenship in both the USA and in Nigeria. So I simply flew down to Nigerian and did what essentially was to me, a guest posing. Of course, I was so far ahead of the other competitors that I easily won. I got my pro card, and of course got to keep my contract….for a while anyway.
TS: That is a pretty funny story. Of course I have no way of confirming if it is true, but it is pretty funny if it is. Now I would like to jump ahead to 1994. During this time I remember flipping through my copy of Flex magazine and all of a sudden coming to the page reporting on that years FIBO. Suffice is to say I nearly shit my pants. To this day, I have never seen anything bigger than you were at that show. You were 320-330lbs. and granted you were holding a lot of water, but at 5’9’’ that was the most amount of muscle I ever saw on a human being. You made Dorian look like a baby—now in all fairness, Dorian may not have been fully loaded during that time, but I still could not get over the size of you. I also remember that there was a lot of controversy when you hit the stage with the other athletes. Please tell us about that time and what the hell you did to get that freaking massive…..
Sorry kids, you’ll have to wait until next time for Part 2 of the Vic Richards interview

[Matt Cena]

Interview with Vic Richards
By Trevor Smith
In part one of the Vic Richards interview we left off at the part where Vic was discussing the events surrounding the 1994 FIBO where he shocked the world with the freakiest physique ever seen on a stage.......Part 2 continues right at this point. If you have not read Part 1 of the Vic Richards interview, you will find it in the August archives under the ARTICLES section of the website.
TS: That is a pretty funny story. Of course I have no way of confirming if it is true, but it is pretty funny if it is. Now I would like to jump ahead to 1994. During this time I remember flipping through my copy of Flex magazine and all of a sudden coming to the page reporting on that years FIBO. Suffice is to say I nearly shit my pants. To this day, I have never seen anything bigger than you were at that show. You were 320-330lbs. and granted you were holding a lot of water, but at 5’9’’ that was the most amount of muscle I ever saw on a human being. You made Dorian look like a baby—now in all fairness, Dorian may not have been fully loaded during that time, but I still could not get over the size of you. I also remember that there was a lot of controversy when you hit the stage with the other athletes. Please tell us about that time and what the hell you did to get that freaking massive…..
VR: Yes that was the year of the big earthquake in Southern California. I was living there at that time with my family, but after the quake hit I knew I had to get the hell out of there. It scared the shit out of me thinking that my children could have been killed. So I decided to move up to Seattle. During this time things were quite hectic for me with the move, so training was really very minimal. I was scheduled to go to Fibo and I knew I had to get back into training.
TS: But that would have meant that you had only 2 months to get into shape and yet you showed up fucking enormous..your all time biggest. What on earth did you do differently.
VR: I’ll get to that later.
TS: O.K. well than let’s talk about what happened when you were at FIBO.
VR: Well I was standing with John Brown who is a friend of mine and we were commenting on the attitudes of some of the bodybuilders like Flex and a few others. Kevin Levrone was totally cool and respectful to me as was Dorian, but a lot of the other young guys were making comments like I was fat and out of shape and wouldn’t do anything on stage. Now I was all covered up so I just laughed to myself. But John Brown kept telling me to go onstage on the last day when they have the group posedown. At first I did not want to do it…but as I heard more and more comments I figured I would have a little fun.
TS: So you weren’t scheduled to be onstage
VR: No. but I went up and told the announcer that I would be joining the guys on stage and he got all excited. Anyway, after the guys were onstage, I stripped down and as I was walking out the announcer—who was speaking in German—apparently said that I was the biggest man on the planet and the un-crowned Mr. Olympia. Now I did not tell him to say that, and quite frankly didn’t know what he was saying cause he was speaking German. All I know is one of the promoters who was good friends with Dorian went crazy and grabbed the microphone from the announcer and started screaming that I was a bloated water tank and could never compete against these guys.
TS: Funny….But what was the crowds reaction
VR: They went nuts…they loved it
TS: How about the other athletes.
VR: They were in total disbelief at my size. Kevin Levrone was totally cool and told me I would destroy everyone if I ever got into contest shape and that if I wanted to compete he would help me get ready.
TS: How about Dorian.
VR: I like Dorian a lot…but I saw him backstage after and his head was down and he was very solemn. I told him I did not mean to disrespect him in any way and that I thought he was a great champion. But I couldn’t help but get the feeling he was dejected a bit because I was so much bigger than he was
TS: I remember one of the magazines had a small photo and I was longing to see more…but nobody ever touched the subject…it was like it never happened and yet I would think that would be big news to see you posing off against Dorian.
VR: Yeah, certain powers that be made sure that not too many pictures were published from that day.
TS: I still have that one pic of you cut out and on my wall for inspiration. But I must say again in all fairness to Dorian, he didn’t look fully loaded as a few years later I saw him guest pose in N.Y. and at 300lbs. he looked fucking insane and a lot bigger than at Fibo that year with you. Now that would have been a wild posedown. Two of the biggest men in the sport. Christ through in an off season Ronnie Coleman and Nasser El Sonbaty and they would have to reinforce the fucking stage.
TS: Let’s switch topics a bit. Who are some of your favorite bodybuilders from today?
VR: Well I think Dorian was great. Flex has great lines and is actually a smaller version of me. Kevin Levrone is awesome. Lee Haney was fantastic. Of course Sergio was amazing.
TS: Let me throw some names out: J.P. Fux VR: Oh my god…what a shame what this guy did to himself. I met him years ago before he made himself look pregnant and thought he was really good. Then I met him again in Atlanta and did not recognize him
TS: Paul Dillet:
VR: Paul had the potential to be very, very freaky, but instead he will go down as just an average big man. I asked Paul to train with me when he first came out here and told him if he could rough it for a year, we would make lots of money going around guest posing together as two super-freaks. But he never did.
TS: Greg Kovacs
VR: Greg Kovacs is a nice guy, I met him a few times, but the hype around him is a joke. He is not the biggest bodybuilder on the planet. He is 6’3" and around 375 pounds in the offseason and he looks terrible at that weight…certainly not like a bodybuilder. And even if he does go up to 400lbs. he would still just look like a big ole football lineman. I am 5’10" and have weighed as much as 340lbs. But all my muscles are full and round and have shape and symmetry. I can go find a 6’8" 410lb bodybuilder, but that wouldn’t mean he would look as freaky and thick and dense as I would.
TS: I know this is a touchy subject with you, but I have to ask. What are your theories on drugs in the sport?
VR: Well I get asked this all the time, and I do not like to answer because I feel I have to be responsible. I know what I am doing, but if someone thinks they can do what I do to be like me and then they hurt themselves, it becomes my fault. All I can say is there are proven medicinal uses for steroids and other compounds, which if used properly are very safe. However, the key is used properly. These days the guys are using insane amounts and using GH, and insulin as well. I would never in a million years play around with insulin or thyroid drugs either. Too dangerous. Besides if you know enough about nutrition you can effectively manipulate your own insulin levels to be very beneficial for building muscles.
TS: Alright, I ain’t pulling any punches…..What drugs do you use and which ones do you feel are the most effective.
VR: Hmmm…..nice try Trevor.
TS: Alright, let me rephrase that. If a bodybuilder were to choose to use drugs, are there any that you feel are safer and more effective than others.
VR: Let me just say that I think androgen-based drugs are shit and very dangerous and hard on the system. They do nothing but bloat the hell out of a person and then when they are stopped everything is lost. A much wiser approach would be to use highly anabolic compounds. Because if used correctly they can result in lots and lots of quality muscle that stays with you for the most part.
TS: Things like equipoise and winstrol are highly anabolic
VR: Yes
TS: Well in all honesty, I cannot believe that you don’t feel androgens are effective…I mean I would have guessed by your condition at fibo—very huge but also holding water—that you would find them somewhat useful
VR: I am not going to comment on my personal life for the reasons stated before. I will say, however, that there is one compound out there that is very androgenic, and very anabolic and would result in lots of muscle. But it is very toxic and dangerous and would never be used for any length of time
TS: And what compound would that be
VR: Parabolan
TS: Parabolan is probably the best drug ever produced for building muscle....problem is you can't get it anymore. You know one of the major problems I see, is that young guys coming up and in established pros, have a hard time training without the use of drugs and therefore stay on all the time. Mostly these guys never put in any time training naturally and once their cycle is done, they start to crash in size and panic. So rather than wait to clean the system and learn to train and progress naturally as well…they hop right back on a course or at the very least "bridge". Which always cracks me up because these idiots are never giving their body a break…which in the long run really hinders their progress.
VR: I totally agree. That is the problem. People don’t take the time off that their bodies need. It would be wise to give the body 4-6 months of total clean time a year…..but invariable this happens with only a few. But they are the few that will be around for a long time and be healthy to boot. The other problem they have is they think drugs are the key which they are not. Nutrition and training are the keys
TS: Precisely my thoughts. Whenever I work with someone…whether a Pro or an Amateur the first thing I tell them is I have no secrets or magic bullets. Just common sense and balls to the wall effort. That is what makes the difference. K.I.S.S. This brings me to my next question. Years back you claimed that you ate a daily diet of around 30,000 kcals. Now that is fucking absurd and is more than a fucking gorilla or a lion would eat.
VR: I agree…it is totally absurd and I never said that. Well I did, but it was taken out of context, like most of the information in the magazines. I was asked what the most amount of calories I ate in a day was and I told the person conducting the interview that it was probably 30,000 but that was simply because I was eating Nigerian foods which are heavily loaded with lots and lots of fats. I never said I ate 30,000 kcals on a regular basis and certainly not from Rice, Chicken and vegetables. You have to understand I basically did everything that I wasn’t supposed to in terms of playing the political angle in bodybuilding. I marched to my own beat and still had lots of fans and still made a good living and this pisses off the powers that be. So ANY opportunity to make me look like a fool and discredit me they will. But I will not be made to look like a fool. I am college educated and have a degree in psychology. Most of my family members are doctors and engineers, so there is no shortage of intelligence in my genes.
TS: Ouch! Someone’s not too happy.
VR: No, I am just saying it like it is.
TS: You know what I wanted to talk with you about, was the W.B.F. Didn’t they contact you and why do you think that failed so quickly? If you want to know the answer you will have to tune in next time for part 3 of the Vic Richards interview where he discusses the W.B.F., the future of bodybuilding and the future for Vic Richards along with some of his training theories.

[Matt Cena]

http://web.archive.org/web/20010614212712/http://nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/articles_header.gif
All Men and Women are Created Equal?
By Trevor L. Smith Since my last article (The Four Demons) seemed to score highly with the readers I thought I would spend some time discussing the topic of equality and how we can relate it to bodybuilding.

It has long been stated that all men and women are created equal and that "you can be and achieve anything you put your mind too", but how many people actual believe this to be a truism. I mean really, what the heck kind of idiolistic bullshit is a statement like "All men are created equal" or better yet: "You can be anything you set your mind too" Now what a second, I thought this was supposed to be some sort of motivational based article? Well what I am trying to do is get you all to admit that even though we are taught to believe in ourselves few people actually do. And even though we are told that All men are created equal, we really do not believe it and finally even though it is ingrained that we can accomplish anything we set our minds to deep down we know we can’t. Now that we have that established let’s take each statement and discuss it’s true meaning and how it can be applied to allow us to further our goals.
All Men Are Created Equal: True or False?……..TRUE

First and foremost the statement that all men are created equal does not mean so from and external point of view. Being a Martial Arts instructor I got to see first hand the way Mother Nature and Darwinism works. Survival of the fittest is alive and well and unfortunetly some of us are born weaker and more feable and with less intelligence. This is the natural order of things and it is meant in insure that only the cream of the crop from the human animal passes along those wonderful genetics for the next generation. However, man was given the gift of self awareness and also high intelligence in comparison to all other animals. The combination of these two things prevent the natural order of the weak being killed off from existing. So what does life then hold for those of us who are born with average or even below average intelligence and physical gifts? Do we shove them into a room and expect little to nothing from them and do they expect little to nothing from themselves? Of course not. Once you understand that most of the gifts afforded to man exist internally you begin to understand the statement that all men are created equal is true.
Let’s take a look at a rather extreme example:
Me versus Michael Jordan in a game of basketball
Me: 6’1" 335-350lbs (depending on how much of a carb consuming pig I can be)
Michael: 6’6" 225lbs of shredded muscle with amazing endurance and jumping ability.
Now that all you guys are done coughing up your Protein drinks (I hope it is Ultra-Pro 5 of M.R.P. Factor 2…I know shameless plug) where do you want to place your bets.Of course…you all picked Michael (and if you didn’t go get your fucking head examined) .
Now the game begins and as expected I don’t score a single point and I almost have 2 coronaries and a stroke running down the court just once, but somhow I manage to finish the game through sheer determination and Michael wins 200-0
Now seemingly you all would be happily awaiting to collect your easy money but I hate to inform you all that you LOST! Wait now what the fuck is he talking about? Yes you all lost! And the reason is obvious to all those who understand the statement All Men Are Created Equal. You see the name of the game—the only game that matters—is playing to your maximal level in all situations at all times….for the only person that you have to ever beat is the person within. Now I would expect Michael Jordan to be able to score at least 500 points against someone as fat, bloated and horribly equipped to play the game of basketball as I am. The fact that he only scored 200 points means he did not challenge himself. I on the other hand did everything I had to and could do just to finish the game. (Truth be know the reason why Michael Jordan is the greatest of all time has little to do with his physical gifts and everything to do with the fact that NOBODY has ever had more drive and determination in the sport of basketball EVER.)
Why should it matter what the competition is? Why should our output be determined by external factors? Everytime you do something, do it with 100% focus, dedication and commitment. Do this and YOU CAN NEVER FAIL AND YOU CAN NEVER LOSE AND NOBODY CAN EVER BEAT YOU! All Men Are Created Equal means that everyone has the chance to give 100% maximal effort. This does not mean that 100% of my effort will ever result in me being a professional basketball player and beating the likes of a Jr. Highschool kid let alone the greatest of all time, but it means that I will always be a champion.
If you are sad enough to measure your success by external things, your life will never be complete…especially in bodybuilding. Especially with todays judges! But if every time you enter the gym you put out maximal effort and intensity—trust me when I say many believe they do this and next to zero actually do—you will bring to life feelings that there is nobody better than you and that external success is only a result of the times we live in. Let’s face it, being good at basketball wouldn’t mean Jack Shit 500 years ago, but having the ability to stay focused and demand 100% of yourself at all times ALWAYS PAYS HUGE DIVIDENDS NO MATTER WHAT TIME PERIOD YOU WERE BORN IN.
Those who are sad enough to take physical and genetic gifts and use them as a crutch to coast through their lives are not worth spit in my world nor are they spit in the eyes of the universe. I see a guy in the gym who is in their busting his ass every fucking day……and I am talking about just making his way from the car to the entrance of the gym. You see he has no motor control of his legs and gets around with the add of two crutches that attach to his wrists. He struggles just to get into the various machines and yet he is there every day….always in a good mood always happy to be alive and always training hard. I see him and feel like a piece of shit for ever feeling sorry for myself. He puts me to shame and I have never seen anyone that can hang with myself or Ian in terms of training. He is a true Mr. Olympia…He is a True world champion powerlifter. I have it easy.
It is when I see people like this that I realize that in terms of internal effort and dedication every man is created with an equal chance to reach their maximal potential. So how does this apply to a bodybuilder? Simple. If given the choice between training at your maximum potential and giving 100% effort everytime you train and diet, and being a genetic freak it will clearly serve you to choose the former. Does anyone doubt this? If so explain why Flex Wheeler could never beat Dorian Yates. Here are two men at opposite ends of the spectrum. Flex—possibly the most genetically gifted athlete ever to step on a bodybuilding stage, and Dorian—possibly the worst genetics ever to win the Mr. Olympia. Yet history will show that—injuries aside—Dorian Yates was possibly the greatest Mr. Olympia EVER (I am talking about his 1993 physique, before the injuries). How is this possible? Simple. Dorian chose to "Carpe Diem" (seize the day) and make sure that everytime he stepped foot in the gym, nothing else mattered. His nickname should have been the Zen Machine rather than the Shadow as his focus and intensity and dedication are far more impressive than his Olympia wins and bodybuilding accomplishments. He gives maximal effort and gets MAXIMAL results. Now Flex on the other hand gives half ass effort yet still gets great results, but at the end of the day and the end of his career, Flex will have to go to bed knowing that he could have done more and he could have achieved true greatness. Internally both he and Dorian were given the same opportunity and started from the same place and hence equal, yet he threw away this opportunity every single day choosing instead to rely on his genetic gifts. Where did it get him? It never ceases to amaze how much ground can be made up by ass busting, balls to the wall dedication, focus and intensity and in this lies the lesson for all of us asiring bodybuilders. GENETICS CAN BE EASILY OVERCOME……ALL MEN ARE CREATED WITH THE SAME ABILITY TO ASPIRE TO GREATNESS. IF YOU KEEP THE FOCUS ON YOURSELF AND DEMAND NOTHING BUT EXCELLENCE AT ALL TIMES AND KEEP YOUR EYES, EARS AND MIND FOCUSED ONLY ON THE TASK AT HAND, YOU WIND UP SURPASSING THOSE WHO YOU NEVER THOUGHT YOU WOULD CATCH.
So are all men created equal? Yes, but not the way most people think. However, when one understands how true this statement is, it can be like having a secret path that everyone knows about, but few seldom follow.

[Matt Cena]

IAN HARRISON'S "DIARY OF A MADMAN"

INSTALLMENT 1.
Hi, my name is Ian Harrison, I.F.B.B. Pro. My last pro show was the 1998 Arnold Classic. I had been competing in the pro ranks since 1993 after initial gaining notoriety (and my pro-card) in 1989 at the age of 20 years when I won the British Championship (the year after Dorian won his pro card at the very same show). Since I was very young, I decided to take 4 years off so that I could focus on my gym business and give my physique the maturity it needed to compete on the pro level.
Initially I avoided politics altogether as an amateur and never had it have any negative ramifications on my placings. However the same cannot be said when I hit the pro ranks (although some pro's will have you believe that politics does not exist...of course these are the ones that have always been on the good end of the political circle) My first taste of pro bodybuilding was bitter to say the least. I dieted to compete in the N.O.C. for 24 weeks and although I was ready six weeks out..I still carried on dieting. At that time I was taking advise from certain people in the sport who I admired. One was a senior competitor and businessman and the other was a top I.F.B.B. professional. My final prep for the contest was crucial, I did a photo shoot 2 days before the show with Chris Lund ( you may remember the picture as it became a bit famous....the shot of me taken on the rock in central park) I looked ready, but agreed with my advisors that I should lose more water. I was advised to use Aldactone ( a low risk potassium sparing diuretic) at 300mg per day for 3 days. I had only used this drug once before and this seemed to be a rather high dose to say the least. I therefore, decided to use 200mg per day for 2 days beginning immediately after the afore mentioned photo shoot. After doing this, my worst fears came true the morning of the show. I awoke at around 5:00am to go to the toilet and as I rolled over to stand up, I fell on the floor unable to stand! I was confused and worried about the show. I called the pro who was advising me at around 7-8:00am and he told me I was just nervous and that I should take some ephedrine and go for a walk (which I did..up and down Broadway just as the shops were beginning to open up) When I returned to the hotel, I collapsed in the foyer. As people were crowding around me I wondered what the hell was happening to me on the most important day of my life. At that exact moment, my parents pulled up in their taxi from the airport to have their first site be their son on deaths door on the floor of the hotel.
My advisor, Wayne Demilia, and Peter McGough came to my room to see how I was doing and recommended electrolytes and minerals, but I had to be fed as I could not put my hands to my mouth (let alone pose!) I battled the feeling and with the aid of my training partner, attended the competitors meeting to get my number and hand in my music. I'll never forget being in a room full of bodybuilders who were all wearing sweatshirts and baggies and there's Mike Quinn...looking like a million fucking dollars, wearing a plush suite!
When the meeting was over, I collapsed again. Jim Quinn and Berry Demey showed great concern giving me advise on what to do to rectify the situation. Eddie Ellwood and my training partner Steve Riddoch helped carry me back to the neighboring hotel. I'll never forget that moment. As we left the auditorium onto the streets, there was a crowd of fans all around the competitors. As I was dragged through the crowd, the look on the peoples faces really made me feel like things were bad. They looked at me as if I was a man on his death bed. I remember Mike Quinn telling my parents and friends that the paramedics must be called immediately or I may die. The paramedics arrived, but I guess because of the Nubain (which all the competitors were using), my vital signs were all normal.
So many people came to my room after that to see what I had done (Peter McGough, Albert Beckles, Dorian, Wayne Demilia, etc,) Eventually, Wayne said that if I could raise my elbows to shoulder height, he would allow me to compete. I couldn't! I just couldn't raise my arms. Due to the electrolyte imbalance all my muscle fibers were fibrillating and I had no strength due to dehydration. I was pulled from the show (my world in pieces).
I ate all morning and afternoon and drank gallons and gallons of water. By nightfall I felt I had to go and see the night show that I had been so committed to winning. I remember as I staggered into the nightshow with the help of my friend, I bumped into my advisor (the Pro) who told me that I should have done the show because I could have won and no matter how bad I was feeling I should have got on stage. He tried to make me feel worse than I already was by telling me that he had been in worse condition than me at one of his pro shows but carried on and won. Well frankly winning meant everything to me, but honestly, only a fool would risk his life and besides I physically could not have gotten on stage. I'm not a stupid man, I knew this guy was trying to undermine my dedication and imply that the reason he was where he was in the sport and I wasn't was due to him being "more" dedicated. I didn't feel he was anymore dedicated in anyway. Besides, he was the one who advised me to take the aldactone and whether intentionally or not, it would have killed me if I had followed the dose he suggested.
I was ill for weeks after the show. My bodyweight jumped 50 plus pounds in just a couple of weeks, but my body had been taken too far. My immune system was in shock and so was my head. I needed a short rest.

The next incident I would like to discuss is my first bout with politics in the I.F.B.B. Two months before the English Grand Prix, my sponsor at that time had struck a deal with Mr. Demilia and I was told it was in my best interest to compete in the show or I would not be able to compete in the shows I wanted to do the following year. Well what were my options? I wanted to prove myself as the best bodybuilder in the world. So by the time I was coerced into doing the show I had only 5 weeks to diet. I partially dieted during that time as I really did not want to compete. Luckily I was in pretty good shape to start so by the time the show came, I was only 8-10 pounds over my best condition at around 265lbs. Mike Quinn, who I stayed with in Florida after the N.O.C. came over for the show. I remember him sitting in the first 3 rows saying the contest was between myself and Charlie (Clairmont). Charlie was the obvious winner, the best I have ever seen him. The line-up consisted of Flex, Kevin Levrone, Sonny Schmidt, Milos Sarcev, Ron Love, J.J. Marsh and others. Every year, to my knowledge, the top 6 had been placed and brought out for the posedown and received prize money. Ever since, this has also happened. Just before I went onstage at the pre-judging, Wayne Demilia came up to me backstage and asked me where my sponsor was with his money. Of course I had no idea, I mean how the hell would I know, as I was there to compete! Anyway, I had good callouts with Flex and Kevin, Milos and Sonny, Charlie and Kevin, Charlie and Flex, etc. Then me and Charlie were compared alone. I knew I wouldn't win when only the top 5 were announced and I wasn't among them..I was placed 6th, normally a finalist placing but apparently this year was an exception. I suppose I knew why, seems my sponsor bailed on the deal he had struck with Wayne and never gave him the money Wayne felt he was owed.
I laid in bed for 3 whole days after that show considering my future as a bodybuilder. After the show had ended, I tracked down Wayne who was with a lady judge (named Larsson I think) to ask them why I placed 6th. They told me my condition was not good enough and Wayne stated that he never realized how big I was and if I got in shape I would do damage. I then asked about Flex and Kevin's condition--which was poor--and Wayne's response was "yes they were in poor condition, but they know how to hide it on stage with their posing." FOR FUCK SAKE!!, they're only 10 feet away from the competitors, can't the judges determine fat from muscle? Some fucking judging system.

To skip a few years, in 1995 I did the Olympia and 3 Grand Prix shows. The Spain show was Friday night (the Olympia had been the previous Saturday), Germany was on Saturday night and England on Sunday night. I stuck to my diet religiously for the Spain show...looked good and placed 8th. I was then invited to go for a meal with Wayne Demelia and Rafael Santonja. I declined as did the other competitors. I was at that meal that Flex collapsed and was hospitalized.
All the top guys on the tour were stuffing their faces with fast food and candy, but due to the diuretics, they still looked good. After the N.O.C. I vowed never again to touch diuretics. I thought to myself--looking at my plate of Turkey and rice--Fuck It! They probably already decided where they are going to place me anyway so why bother with the clean eating. The next day I threw out the turkey and potatoes and bought a bunch of junk food. In Germany the following night I looked smooth but placed 7th (1 place higher than Spain while in worse condition and competing in a better line up with added contestants). I hung around with Paul Demayo on the tour and got on with him really well. He was a funny guy. I remember him telling Patrick Nichols (who was walking behind me during prejudging) and saying "see that" (pointing to my back) "take a good look at that, cause that is where you'll be placing for the rest of the tour. He was funny like that. Anyway, sorry to digress, but the whole point of this is that I looked great in Spain with the same line-up and placed 8th. Looked worse in Germany and placed 7th, and looked like absolute shit in England and placed 6th. Oh I wonder why this time around, the top 6th were placed instead of just the top 5 like it was the time my (and the shows) sponsor pulled a "no-show"?
Looking back I can see that in 1993 I did the Chicago Pro (Mike Fracois' Pro Debut) and the N.O.C. and overdieted severely losing 30lbs of muscle and placing badly. In fact, I continually came in over-dieted or small, the only exception being the 1995 San Jose Pro Invitational where I placed 3rd behind Clairmonte and Francois and my favorite, the 1995 Mr. Olympia pre-judging. I weighed 19 stone 7lbs (273) and was hard as nails. Nasser and myself were the heaviest men there. I remember looking around backstage and seeing all the guys (Dorian, Flex, Kevin, etc) and thinking "I know I am not going to get the placing I deserve, but I can stand with these guys any day! I strongly hoped for a top 10 finish. Then Nasser, bless his soul, staggered around the corner with his glasses and flip flops on and my mouth fell open. I looked at him, then the rest and thought "holy shit, compare me with anyone, but I don't want to stand next to him, he's fucking HUGE! That's when I realized (and probably the year before when he tore his biceps) Dorian no longer led the path. Everyone else had caught up and some had passed him in terms of mass and density (his initial trademark)

Until next time, be well, stay strong and train til you puke up your food (and if there is anything in the puke that is un-digested, grab a fork and dig in, I know I have done it before)

[Matt Cena]

IAN HARRISON'S "DIARY OF A MADMAN"

INSTALLMENT 2



Ok...let's see, where did we leave off last time? Well fuck it let's just go with whatever comes up.

I believe I was talking about my last pro show and why I stopped competing. I guess after 5 years of going through the political mill and seeing it go on right in front of my eyes kinda got to me. Don't misunderstand, I am not only talking about myself. Believe me I have yet to step on stage at my best so don't think I am whining that the judges were always responsible for my lower placings. The fact remains, however, is there is a lot of problems with the judging in bodybuilding and myself along with many others have fallen victim to it.

One such incident that I vividly remember was at the 1995 Arnold Classic. I was backstage after the pre-judging and was being interviewed by Peter McGough (and old friend of mine from England) who was working for Flex magazine in the states. He was asking me what I thought of the judging and what I thought about my placing. I turned around and pointed to 2 pros. Lee Priest and Lee Labrada. I said "see those two.....who carries the most muscle mass, has less weak points and is the freakiest?" Peter just nodded in an apologetic "its nothing to do with me" type of way. Who placed where at the Arnold that year? 4th place Lee Labrada, 11th place Lee Priest and 7th place myself! Where is the logic in those placings?

Back to the 1998 Arnold--which was my last show.

During my pre-contest prep for that show I talked with my wife Jane and promised her that I wouldn't put her and my daughter through the stress of pre-contest dieting without placing respectably. In other words, I didn't want to carry on just being another number...If I wasn't going to be a contender, I wasn't interested! More importantly, my wife and I wanted to try for our second child and I wanted to spend some time focusing on new business ventures

I needed the time away from the bodybuilding scene to give my body and mind a rest from that lifestyle as it can burn you out if you are not careful. I cleaned myself out for 2 years. During that time period I kept a bodyweight of around 19 stone (266lbs.) totally gear free on a very limited training regime and diet..which is pretty good if I do say so myself. I also got into the idea of professional wrestling --which had been introduced to me by my training partner Drew McDonald who is quite accomplished, traveled and experienced as a wrestler. I began working on his physique using my bodybuilding experience and he began working on my wrestling skills using his experience. It has been great for me, as I really needed time away from bodybuilding and I am proud to say that my wife is now expecting our second child. All of this has made me hungrier than ever. I am training again, eating again and still enjoying the hell out of the wrestling, although anxious to show the bodybuilding world what the real Ian Harrison is made of.

I just recently started my first course of anabolics in over 2 years. Believe it or not it is very, very mild.....Just 50mg of Test Proprionate every 3rd day. Just with this little amount of gear I have gained 30lbs of muscle back, I am leaner and feeling strong and full again...it is very nice to be back!!

Over the course of the next year I intend only to use the short/fast acting androgens in small amounts. I fully intend to get back up to at least 22 stone (308lbs) in good offseason shape (abs and thigh separation showing) My top weight before my absence was 23 stone 4 pounds (326lbs). If I keep my doses low and training basic and heavy, I feel I will be in a good position to start thinking about competing in late 2001 or early 2002 at a bodyweight of 310lbs. (at a height of 5'11") onstage......That ought to shock a few people.


Until next time, be well, stay strong and train til you puke up your food (and if there is anything in the puke that is un-digested, grab a fork and dig in, I know I have done it before)

[Matt Cena]

IAN HARRISON'S "DIARY OF A MADMAN"

INSTALLMENT 3


Ahhh…bloody hell! Everything in my world at this moment is crazy. The wrestling, the training, my wife Jane is almost at full term and we have our final interview for our green card status at the end of the month. Guess you can say I am under a bit of stress, so forgive me if I keep this brief.
My training believe it or not has been going fantastic even under all the stress. Yesterday I finally got the 200lbs. Dumbbells up for 5 good reps. Fuck they were heavy. I haven’t touched them in over 2 years. It’s been a long time coming and it feels great to be using them again.
My wife Jane has been carrying unbelievably big for the past 6 months and to be honest I was getting nervous that she was having twins. Last week we found out that the baby is already at full term…A FULL SIX WEEKS EARLY. THE KID IS GOING TO BE MASSIVE!! Jane and I will be quite relieved when the baby finally joins us and although most parents would argue that the stress will only get worse, I know from experience that it gets easier for me. Every time the baby wakes in the middle of the night I will make it a habit to have a meal as well that way I will literally be feeding 24 hours a day and it should do nothing but help my bodybuilding. If all goes well, by June I will be much more relaxed, the baby will be with us and we will have been granted American citizenship. I can focus on Nuclear Nutrition with Trevor along with moving over to the states so we can start pushing each other to the next level of physique freakiness.
I feel it is a really good time for me to be coming back. I am hungry again for the first time in years and really do not care where I place just as long as I shock the world and freak people out. Time to start a new chapter in my life and it gives me chills to think about all the possibilities. That being said I will say that I feel the current crop of bodybuilders doesn’t impress me much once you get past the 3 or 4 top guys. I really believe I can do damage but again my only concern is with impressing the man in the mirror.
Both Trevor and myself have some really big and rather fun plans for the company and it is exciting to have a chance to do something that you love for a living. No amount of money in the world can ever compensate for that. Getting back to my training plans, I can tell you that once me baby is born I will take things to the next level in terms of pharmacology. Until now I have only been using small amounts of purely fast acting stuff. THAT WILL CHANGE VERY SOON. I will be coming over in August to promote the company with Trevor at the 2000 U.S.A’s in Las Vegas and I plan to be quite freaky. Trevor and I have decided that between the two of us we have to weigh 700lbs. so there is no question as to which is the most hard-core company on the planet! I hope that anyone who plans to attend will stop by and say hello, as I am anxious to meet everyone that enjoys the site and supports our cause.
‘Til next time…..well you know how it goes

[bad bad leroy brown]

Ahhhhhh....that takes me back a bit. I was using his protein while I was in TX for law enforcement school. He had some very interesting ideas, but I just thought it was way too much pre-ex.

[Matt Cena]

Ahhhhhh....that takes me back a bit. I was using his protein while I was in TX for law enforcement school. He had some very interesting ideas, but I just thought it was way too much pre-ex.

Glad to hear you checking in BBLB. I had quite a few training partners in the past who thought the same thing as well, on a compromise we did 4 weeks BFT 4 weeks of powerlifting. The BFT helped bring everybody's bench and other lifts up. I guess what I am saying is it might be worth you throwing it in from time to time.

[Matt Cena]

IAN HARRISON'S "DIARY OF A MADMAN"

INSTALLMENT 5

Well first of all I would like to announce that my stress level over the past few months has been lifted as God has been kind enough to bring Mac Harrison into the world.....FINALLY! Yes I am now the proud father of a 10lb. baby boy. I am very very excited as you probably can tell as this finally puts me at ease and clears the way for me to focus 110% on becoming the freak of nature the likes of which have not been seen in the professional ranks.
I must say that for the past 2 weeks I have been literally waking up in the morning, training and then coming right home and not leaving the house for the rest of the day since Jane was unable to do much of anything. Now that everything is in place, my greencard status has been approved, and my personal affairs and business affairs are in order, and my son has been born, I am like a new man.
This months column will be a bit short because I haven't been able to focus on much of anything else as you can imagine. I can tell you that my training has been coming along fine and I have finally hit the 300lb. barrier for the first time in a very long time. I feel very good especially since I have not been able to take my training and regime to the levels I know I can and must.
Wrestling has still been a focus of mine as has shoot fighting, which I have been undertaking more for my own enjoyment rather than anything else. Life is too short to stay mono-focused and I want to enrich my life with the things that interest me. I think what burned me out on bodybuilding before was the fact that it became the sole purpose of my existence. With my new found balance and time off from the sport I realized it did not have to be that way. Hell look at Ronnie Coleman. His whole entire career he kept his job as a police officer and even now he still does even though he is highly successful in the sport. I respect that tremendously.
For those of you who plan on attending the N.P.C. U.S.A. championships in Las Vegas August 4th and 5th, stop buy the Nuclear Nutrition booth. Introduce yourself to me and Trevor. We are really excited to meet our customers and fans and we love nothing more than to help people to achieve their goals. Whether it is through quality products, quality information, quality examples.
Thanks for cutting me some slack over the last 2 months in regards to the column and if there are any questions you might have, don't be afraid to email myself or Trevor. That's what we are here for.
Until next time...
Cheers

[Matt Cena]

IAN HARRISON'S "DIARY OF A MADMAN"

INSTALLMENT 6

Finally I am back again....the Brit with attitude!

Six weeks ago, my training hit an all time high and I can honestly say I regained my previous best off-season shape of old! But as we all know, when things are going great, something always comes along and fucks things up....and I am no exception
While wrestling, I injured my neck causing a severely trapped nerve to cease all training and wrestling. The injury caused total loss of function and feeling in my left shoulder and all down my arm and into my hand. To top it all off, I injured my right elbow trying to protect my neck in a wrestling match and consequently had to have surgery on the 26th of September!
After an intensive bed rest convalescence, I returned to 70% training on the 12th of October and I am presently in Venice, California writing this article the day before we set off to the Mr. Olympia!
It will be very interesting to see my old friends and rivals and some new faces as well after such a long layoff from the whole competition scene. I still weigh 290lbs. even after my injuries so I am sure the Mr. Olympia will give me a blast of inspiration to get back into the gym with Trevor (we've already turned a few heads with our aggressive training approach) and reach an all time high and lean bodyweight of 330-350lbs. Who knows where it will end...I mean how long is a piece of string? Well I will tell you this: I WILL COMPETE AGAIN!! When I am not sure of, so don't bother asking or trying to speculate, but in the meantime, getting as freaky as my genetics will allow is my main priority and on my way down this mass road I also fully plan on pursuing a wrestling career with either the WWF or WCW!
Of course my main priority is always my beautiful wife Jane and my children Christie and Mack (As in Mack Truck!) My next big step is our final move to the USA, which has to be done before March 30th by law in order for me to keep my green card. At that point I will be over here for good, working and training with Trevor, telling people how it really is, giving help and advise and providing to the bodybuilding world a complete hard-core line of genuine, high quality products to help people get as big and freaky as they want to in the shortest possible time! The days of glossy ads, false claims and utter bullshit in the supplement world are coming to an end!
All I can say is watch out. Nuclear Nutrition has some big things in store for the bodybuilding world! Come this years Arnold Classic, the Nuclear Nutrition booth will look like a scene out of Jurassic Park, with myself on one side, Trevor on the other and our mystery freak in the middle. (Stay tuned for the next update where Trevor introduces this mystery freak...you won't be disappointed)
Watch out world......Contamination Is Eminent!!

[Matt Cena]

IAN HARRISON'S "DIARY OF A MADMAN"

INSTALLMENT 7



The Olympia 2000, Las Vegas: This has been the first show I attended since my last contest. The 1998 Arnold Classic.
Well as I suspected and feared, it got my psyched to say the least. The competitors looked awesome when I first saw them come out on stage, but after the initial shock, I began to look at them from the eyes of a fellow competitor and I can honestly say that although some freaky physiques adorned the stage the overall standard was weaker than in many previous years. The conditioning of most of the athletes was off and some of them simply looked burned out.
This instilled a tremendous amount of confidence in my potential to do some damage at a top pro level and has really given me a mental kick to get back into my old eating/sleeping routine, which has been the main thing neglected during my 2 year layoff.
Well that is enough about my thoughts on the show. On a side note, if you did not attend the Mr. Olympia Expo, you should have seen the sideshow carnival element that was present. Bodybuilding shows have always been and eye opener with the plethora of freaky physiques and beautiful women, but this time around I suppose the ABUSE of site injections has reared its head (inevitably I suppose)
There is use and abuse of everything in life, if a compound/theory is used properly it can result in enhanced performance, but abused it can go the other way. There were a lot of guys walking around the Expo with sub-par physiques yet had enormous, misshapen arms, and delts. Really ugly looking, abnormal muscle bellies and a number of them actually had dried blood originating from abscess looking distortions in their arms.
Now I am all in favor of proper use of site injections, but I cannot stomach guys strutting around in tank tops or T-shirts 3 sizes too small non-verbally screaming "look at me" "look at me"! Everyone in bodybuilding should be proud of the physique they carry, especially when it was gained through sacrifice and dedication. But, again the few tarnish the reputation of the true bodybuilder who doesn’t have to walk around showing everyone their physique all the time. Especially when most (if not all) of what they are showing reflects none of the above mentioned hard-work, sacrifice and dedication. I do suppose how we dress and present ourselves is purely a personal choice, but nevertheless the overall image of "the bodybuilder" is a bad one and it is these idiots that cause the perception that we are all egomaniacs.
Well enough of my rant, Trevor and I have had some great workouts combining slight angle changes and tempo changes to further increase intensity of the Beyond Failure style. It is fun to be back to my old mental state. I feel like I did when I was 18 years old and hungry as hell! I am heading back to the U.K. now and will be preparing for my permanent move over to Southern California in the spring. I will say that it was nice to see some of my fellow competitors and photographers etc. and find out that they haven’t forgotten about who I was and were very pleased to see me. That is the good side of the sport, the camaraderie between genuine people that you get to meet.
I head back to England with a new sense of desire, focus and commitment. It is time to get the freakshow back on the road and that means back to my eating, sleeping and training routine of old! I will keep everyone posted on my progress and before I know it, March will be here and I will be a permanent resident of the U.S.A…….WOW….."I love it when a plan comes together."

[a-dog]

I don't agree with everything he wrote about training but I love reading his stuff, love it. the duvall penned articles are really a fun read as well.

there's a similar thread over at mayhem I think...haven't been there in along time but it's an awsome thread and it's great to have on similar here.

I know there were rumors that Trevor shot a video and it was set to be released but never was. it would be awsome watching this guy work out with the kind of weight he handled.

great thread.

[Matt Cena]

I don't agree with everything he wrote about training but I love reading his stuff, love it. the duvall penned articles are really a fun read as well.

there's a similar thread over at mayhem I think...haven't been there in along time but it's an awsome thread and it's great to have on similar here.

I know there were rumors that Trevor shot a video and it was set to be released but never was. it would be awsome watching this guy work out with the kind of weight he handled.

great thread.

Thanks a-dog, I am glad you enjoyed the thread. I helped post some of the information that is over at mayhem and figured I would transfer it here. After training BFT I gained a new level of appreciation and respect for the training style. Have you ever tried the training before?

There is a video that does exist with clips that played at the Olympia when Trevor was alive and it was featured at the Nuclear Nutrition booth. I have been trying my best to get the video to surface but don't know if I will be successful in doing so.

[a-dog]

Thanks a-dog, I am glad you enjoyed the thread. I helped post some of the information that is over at mayhem and figured I would transfer it here. After training BFT I gained a new level of appreciation and respect for the training style. Have you ever tried the training before?

There is a video that does exist with clips that played at the Olympia when Trevor was alive and it was featured at the Nuclear Nutrition booth. I have been trying my best to get the video to surface but don't know if I will be successful in doing so.


I've never done the routine 100% as trevor layed it out so no I didn't. I tried certain aspects of it. I'll have to reread everything to pick out the aspects of the program I didn't really like. I'm not saying it doesn't work or it's ot brutal I just don't know if certain things would work for me. I have a pretty decent grasp of what my body can handle and I remember thinking I could probably do it for 2 weeks and then I would be fried.

I'm a big fan of DC training and I always found it interesting how much Trevor and Dante seemed to have in common. thier training styles are very different but they write in a very similar style, they're both monsters, own supplement companies etc. Let me re-read everything then I can comment a little better on it.

[Matt Cena]

I've never done the routine 100% as trevor layed it out so no I didn't. I tried certain aspects of it. I'll have to reread everything to pick out the aspects of the program I didn't really like. I'm not saying it doesn't work or it's ot brutal I just don't know if certain things would work for me. I have a pretty decent grasp of what my body can handle and I remember thinking I could probably do it for 2 weeks and then I would be fried.

I'm a big fan of DC training and I always found it interesting how much Trevor and Dante seemed to have in common. thier training styles are very different but they write in a very similar style, they're both monsters, own supplement companies etc. Let me re-read everything then I can comment a little better on it.

To my knowledge Trevor and Dante were friends and discussed training philosophies often. In fact BFT was recommended by Trevor to be performed in Rest Pause fashion when training alone.

I am interested in learning what your thoughts are in regards to the program after you have had time to reread everything.

[a-dog]

To my knowledge Trevor and Dante were friends and discussed training philosophies often. In fact BFT was recommended by Trevor to be performed in Rest Pause fashion when training alone.

I am interested in learning what your thoughts are in regards to the program after you have had time to reread everything.

I reread some of the articles. The one thing I think would be hard for me to do is the amount of volume you are doing to total failure. I am natural and usually I don't like to use that as an excuse for shying away from a program but when we look at chest he basically has you doing this:

2 all out sets on the pec deck starting out with max weight for 8 reps and a bunch of forced reps, drop it and go again with the forced reps, drop and go again with the force reps to total failure.

same protocol for a pressing movement...

I might be able to do this, it would take me a few workouts to really generate the intensity required but I think I could do it. I could probably go through a cycle of doing the bodyparts in this manner but I think I would be in sad, sad shape. Now keep in mind that I am in my mid 30's and don't have the recovery I once had.

so the problems I see right off the bat-and I'm being very, very critical here-is that I don't think alot of peopel can generate the type of intensity required and I dont' think alot of guys can sustain it.

I DO NOT think it is a bad program but I think you have to be an advanced lifter to even attempt it, just like with DC.

again, I have never done the program and I am totally nit picking it. If I was gonna do it I would start with one pre-exhaust set as described and 1 compound set. I believe in all of the concepts he talks about I just dont' realistically think I could do that amount of work day in day out and not fall apart. Maybe I'm being a pussy but that's what I think.

I asked Dante about trevor in the past and he did say they were friends, I believe dante even spoke to trevor shortly before he passed away but I'm not sure.

These really are great articles, very, very informative.

[Matt Cena]

I reread some of the articles. The one thing I think would be hard for me to do is the amount of volume you are doing to total failure. I am natural and usually I don't like to use that as an excuse for shying away from a program but when we look at chest he basically has you doing this:

2 all out sets on the pec deck starting out with max weight for 8 reps and a bunch of forced reps, drop it and go again with the forced reps, drop and go again with the force reps to total failure.

same protocol for a pressing movement...

I might be able to do this, it would take me a few workouts to really generate the intensity required but I think I could do it. I could probably go through a cycle of doing the bodyparts in this manner but I think I would be in sad, sad shape. Now keep in mind that I am in my mid 30's and don't have the recovery I once had.

so the problems I see right off the bat-and I'm being very, very critical here-is that I don't think alot of peopel can generate the type of intensity required and I dont' think alot of guys can sustain it.

I DO NOT think it is a bad program but I think you have to be an advanced lifter to even attempt it, just like with DC.

again, I have never done the program and I am totally nit picking it. If I was gonna do it I would start with one pre-exhaust set as described and 1 compound set. I believe in all of the concepts he talks about I just dont' realistically think I could do that amount of work day in day out and not fall apart. Maybe I'm being a pussy but that's what I think.

I asked Dante about trevor in the past and he did say they were friends, I believe dante even spoke to trevor shortly before he passed away but I'm not sure.

These really are great articles, very, very informative.

Hey a-dog, thanks for your reply and the detailed explanation of why you had concerns in regards to the program. As a natural myself those concerns had crossed my mind as well but I tried the program anyway. I felt that there is an initial adaptation response which takes place during the first few weeks and after that my body was used to the abuse, so to speak.
Also I have found after being able to contact those who knew Trevor the articles were written in a fashion which would allow those who were unable to generate the required intensity to still benefit from the program. I had been informed that the video would have detailed a slightly modified approach as Trevor was able to put 100% focus into the working sets, as I am sure you would be as well. It is because of this I was instructed to cut back on the reps from 8 to 3-5 then 1-4 forced reps gauged by the spotter depending on how much assistance was actually being given. If the first forced rep was performed primarily under my own strength another would follow, if during that rep the spotter pretty much had the weight the whole time that would be the end and a drop would take place. I hope all this rambling makes sense and hopefully one day you may consider giving the program a try.
DC is a tough system as well and I wish you the very best with your training.

[a-dog]

Hey a-dog, thanks for your reply and the detailed explanation of why you had concerns in regards to the program. As a natural myself those concerns had crossed my mind as well but I tried the program anyway. I felt that there is an initial adaptation response which takes place during the first few weeks and after that my body was used to the abuse, so to speak.
Also I have found after being able to contact those who knew Trevor the articles were written in a fashion which would allow those who were unable to generate the required intensity to still benefit from the program. I had been informed that the video would have detailed a slightly modified approach as Trevor was able to put 100% focus into the working sets, as I am sure you would be as well. It is because of this I was instructed to cut back on the reps from 8 to 3-5 then 1-4 forced reps gauged by the spotter depending on how much assistance was actually being given. If the first forced rep was performed primarily under my own strength another would follow, if during that rep the spotter pretty much had the weight the whole time that would be the end and a drop would take place. I hope all this rambling makes sense and hopefully one day you may consider giving the program a try.
DC is a tough system as well and I wish you the very best with your training.

man, if you can pull this routine off and be natty then that's pretty damn good IMHO.

with me, if I am gonna do a program I want to do it 100% as it is layed out. I hate when people say "well I do DC but I do 2 chest movements a session instead of 1" OK, then you don't do DC. that's where I would have a problem with doing this program. I would want to do it as it's layed out and I honestly think if I did this as it's layed out I'd end up in the hospital.

I have to say this guy was a total monster. I love the Robby Robinson article.

do you know Matt Duval? I would love to see him or even Ian Harrison do a Q&A on this thread. I only ask cause I think you said you worked at a gym trevor trained at so I thought you might know these guys in some way shape or form. I did ask Milos about trevor over on getbig via PM, he was very nice about it. I think I tried to get him to contribute to the MM thread..this was a few years ago so I dont' remember exactly.

I remember reading there was only 2 or 3 guys that trevor approved to instruct people on this program. I would love to see them contribute to something like this.

[Matt Cena]

man, if you can pull this routine off and be natty then that's pretty damn good IMHO.

with me, if I am gonna do a program I want to do it 100% as it is layed out. I hate when people say "well I do DC but I do 2 chest movements a session instead of 1" OK, then you don't do DC. that's where I would have a problem with doing this program. I would want to do it as it's layed out and I honestly think if I did this as it's layed out I'd end up in the hospital.

I have to say this guy was a total monster. I love the Robby Robinson article.

do you know Matt Duval? I would love to see him or even Ian Harrison do a Q&A on this thread. I only ask cause I think you said you worked at a gym trevor trained at so I thought you might know these guys in some way shape or form. I did ask Milos about trevor over on getbig via PM, he was very nice about it. I think I tried to get him to contribute to the MM thread..this was a few years ago so I dont' remember exactly.

I remember reading there was only 2 or 3 guys that trevor approved to instruct people on this program. I would love to see them contribute to something like this.

I will see what I can do. I will keep you updated on if my attempts are successful.

[zmcdole]

I will see what I can do. I will keep you updated on if my attempts are successful.

With proper diet and rest it can be done period. The human body can withstand quite a beating and adapt to most situations.

[Matt Cena]

With proper diet and rest it can be done period. The human body can withstand quite a beating and adapt to most situations.

Hey zmcdole, thanks for checking the thread out. I have used the training before and know it can be done.
I will be trying to see if Ian has any interest in coming on the boards to help better educate people on BFT and other training methods. Trevor had stated that he learned a lot from Ian.

[zmcdole]

Hey zmcdole, thanks for checking the thread out. I have used the training before and know it can be done.
I will be trying to see if Ian has any interest in coming on the boards to help better educate people on BFT and other training methods. Trevor had stated that he learned a lot from Ian.

I've read through some of it and it seems pretty interesting. Definitely seems doable. However, I suppose if you're gonna do it you need to do it 100% IMO. I'm currently running DC and I'm making some crazy strength gains and my recovery seems to be getting slightly better as I progress. I know that I'll need to deload here in a few weeks, but I'm very surprised at what I've been able to accomplish while training bodyparts twice a week.

[Matt Cena]

I have had the opportunity to be trained by Mr. Ian Harrison, IFBB Pro and freak of nature, for the past two workouts. I must say that without a doubt my training will never be the same.
Anyone interested in working one on one with him should inquire at City Fitness in Bradenton. I will attest that if you are serious about improving your physique it will be the best investment you could possibly make in yourself.

[Matt Cena]

After training a couple times this past week with Ian Harrison, I have learned that while he and Trevor both agreed on many of the principles of BFt, their training was different. After being put through the paces by Ian I learned first hand some of the differences. Both versions are devastating but there is a difference.
I am excited about what I have learned and am always trying to expand my knowledge from any source I can and who better to learn from than the Big Brit' Himself!

[Matt Cena]

For those interested in Trevor's other philosophies:


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A Purely Anabolic Cycle TESTOSTERONE IS THE ABSOLUTE MOST POTENT STEROID THERE IS…IT IS A FACT THAT ALL OTHER COMPOUNDS WERE CREATED IN AN EFFORT TO DERIVE ALL OF THE POSITIVE BENEFITS OF TESTOSTERONE WITHOUT ALL THE NEGATIVE ONES.
I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT TESTOSTERONE SHOULD BE THE BACKBONE OF A COURSE IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO GET THE MOST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK. KNOWING WHEN AND HOW MUCH SHOULD BE ADMINISTERED IS WHAT WILL DETERMINE 1. HOW EFFECTIVE THE COURSE IS AND 2. WHETHER OR NOT YOU WILL SHUT DOWN YOUR NATURAL BODILY FUNCTIONS.
BECAUSE THE TESTOSTERONES ARE HARSH ON YOUR SYSTEM, IT IS HIGHLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW HOW AND WHEN TO USE THEM AND WHEN NOT TO USE THEM. IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHEN TO GIVE YOUR BODY A GOOD CLEAN OUT. THIS IS WHY ALL THE COURSES THAT I DESIGN HAVE EVERY SINGLE COMPOUND OUT OF YOUR BODY BY THE LAST DAY OF THE COURSE. THIS WAY, YOUR OFF PERIOD OR CLEAN OUT TIME IS JUST THAT. SO MANY PEOPLE COME TO ME FOR ADVICE AND INVARIBLE WHEN THEY THINK THEY ARE "OFF" THEY ARE VERY MUCH STILL "ON".
IT IS THIS LACK OF KNOWLEDGE THAT LEADS TO ALL POTENTIAL PROBLEMS RELATED TO STEROIDS, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH IS LACK OF PROGRESS.
THAT BEING SAID, I FEEL THAT ONE SHOULD MAP OUT A GOAL AND SERIES OF COURSES OVER A 6-8 MONTH TIME PERIOD, USING A VARIETY OF COURSES THAT DIFFER IN LENGTH.
I RECEIVED AN EMAIL THE OTHER DAY FROM A PERSON WHO WAS ALL BENT OUT OF SHAPE AFTER READING MY LAST ARTICLE "THE BLAST CYCLE" WANTING TO KNOW HOW I COULD CHANGE MY THEORIES AND NOW TALK ABOUT A CYCLE THAT IS 8 WEEKS IN LENGTH AS OPPOSED TO THE 4 WEEK CYCLES I HAVE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST. THIS PERSON JUST DID NOT UNDERSTAND THAT AT DIFFERENT TIMES, YOU CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF DIFFERENT COURSES.
LET’S SAY YOU HAVE JUST FINISHED AN INTENSE 8-WEEK MASS BUILDING COURSE AND YOU GIVE YOURSELF A GOOD 4 WEEKS CLEAN. AFTER YOUR OFF TIME YOU REALIZE THAT THERE IS ONLY 4 WEEKS LEFT UNTIL YOU HAVE TO START YOUR CONTEST PREP. THIS IS THE PERFECT TIME TO THROW IN A SHORT 4-WEEK COURSE. YOU SEE SOMETIMES, TIME DICTATES THE TYPE OF COURSE WE SHOULD USE.
IF YOU WERE TO COMPARE THE 8-WEEK, 6-WEEK AND 4 WEEK COURSES, YOU WOULD SEE THAT THE UNDERLYING PRINCIPLE IS THE SAME. USE AN ANDROGEN LOAD IN THE BEGINNING AND THEN SWITCH TO FAST ACTING COMPOUNDS FOR THE REMANDER OF THE COURSE SO WHEN THE LAST DAY OF THE CYCLE COMES, YOU WILL BE CLEAN THE NEXT DAY!
REST TIME IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT IS FLEXIBLE. ALTHOUGH I FEEL THAT ONE SHOULD NEVER TAKE LESS THAN 3-4WEEKS OFF AFTER A COURSE, IT IS SOMETIMES NECESSARY FOR OTHER REASONS (TIMING, FINANCES, BURNOUT, ETC) TO TAKE A LONGER BREAK. I PERSONALLY KNOW SEVERAL PRO’S WHO--CONTRARY TO POPULAR RUMORS—TAKE UPWARDS OF 4 MONTHS OFF IN THE OFF SEASON TO GIVE THEMSELVES A REST.
NOW I DO NOT NECESSARILY AGREE WITH THE NEED FOR SUCH A LONG OFF PERIOD UNLESS YOU HAVE BEEN ON A GIANT CONTINUOUS CYCLE FOR THE PAST YEAR OR TWO AND YOUR BALLS HAVE TURNED INTO OVARIES AND YOU LIVER FEELS LIKE IT’S GOING TO EXPLODE. HOWEVER I DO BELIEVE IN USING EXTENDED BREAKS EVERY SO OFTEN AND OCCASIONALLY USING A PURELY ANABOLIC COURSE THAT WILL NOT HARDLY INTERFER WITH NORMAL BODILY FUNCTIONS. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT SUCH A COURSE
4 WEEK COURSE OF THE FOLLOWING
4 MILK THISLE CAPS EVERY DAY
80 DROPS OF SIBERIAN GINSENG EVERY DAY
6 CAPS OF ACIDOPHOLIS EVERY DAY
2 STRONG MULTI-VITAMIN/MINERAL CAPS PER DAY
25MG OF ANAVAR PER DAY
25MCG OF CYTOMEL PER DAY
40MCG OF CLENBUTEROL EVERY DAY
50MG OF WINSTROL DEPOT PER DAY
100MG OF PRIMOBOLAN DEPOT EVERY OTHER DAY
4IU OF GH ON TRAINING DAYS ONLY BEFORE BED
10 IU OF INSULIN IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING WORKOUT AND THEN EAT AND EAT AND EAT MAKING SURE TO GET AT LEAST 120 GRAMS OF CARBS IN DURING THAT TIME
AFTER THE 28 DAYS HAVE 4 WEEKS OFF BEFORE YOU EMBARK ON YOUR NEXT COURSE WHICH SHOULD CONTAIN ANDROGENS……

[Matt Cena]

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Getting Ripped
How many times have you seen absolute monsters in the gym that become completely unrecognizable when they diet down for competition? Victor Richards comes to mind as someone who is the biggest man on the planet in the off-season (remember those pics of him at FIBO in 1994?) who becomes an average body-builder when it is time to get ripped. Why is this? Actually I feel there are multiple reasons (not the least of which is a lack of sufficient Natural training to build up a good base although I do not believe this to be the case with Victor). Knowing what pharmaceutical compounds to use is one of the factors as is old-fashioned hard work and dedication and most importantly taking things slow.
The last statement is where I feel the majority of people error. I myself have done the very things I am going to tell you not to do in this article
1.Over-dieting: This is basically where you get obsessed with fat loss and when things are not going the way you planned, you decide to make drastic changes quickly.
2.Too much aerobics: This is the killer of more muscle than anything else, especially if you are a big man. I suggest no more than 45 minutes to an hour of aerobics per day. Anything less will slow the process and anything more will cause the body to go into a preservation mode and try and hold onto emergency fat stores and burn muscle instead
3.Too many carbs: Personally I do not respond well to carbohydrates as they get me fat real quickly and bloat me like a fucking cow. This is not to say that I do not love them to death as most other people do, but when trying to control bodyfat they must be kept in check. I suggest no more than 150 grams per day if you have a fast metabolism, and no more than 50 grams per day if you have the metabolism of a turtle
4.Too little protein: Whenever you cut your carb intake, your body will look for other energy sources to burn starting with the easiest stuff, mainly protein which is another way of saying your hard earned muscle. To prevent this, you must make sure that you OVER-compensate in terms of protein consumption. I suggest 600-800grams per day or more depending on bodyweight
5.Too little fat: Let’s face it, you need fat to burn fat. The body likes to know that it is not ridding itself of vital and necessary fat stores without having a good amount coming in on a daily basis. Since you are keeping your carbs ultra-low, you can and must allow for greater intake of fat. Again this varies greatly, but 100 grams per day is not too much and in many cases a little more is necessary
6.Over-use of thermogenic compounds: D.N.P. is the latest range in the quest to get ripped. It can increase your BMR by up to 50%. The downside is that muscle will be burned in the process if you are not careful and oh yeah, you might cook yourself to death. I am currently researching D.N.P. further and will hold off on any general suggestions until that research is complete. As a rule of thumb though, I would not go over 6 miligrams per kilogram of bodyweight and in fact, I would suggest less. I would also use it on a 2 day on 2 day off pattern with-in a week on week off schedule to maximize safety. Remember this is rat poison and can and will kill you. Be weary of where you get it from if you plan on using and always do as much research as possible. Ian Harrison will tell you himself that it was responsible for catabolizing at least 25lbs of pure muscle in the last three weeks before the 97 Arnold. I would avoid its use and opt for a longer dieting period and the use of clenbuterol and T3. These 2 compounds are excellent tools and are relatively safe as long as you don’t over-do it. With clen there are many different theories on how to use, but the great number of people I deal with use it on a daily basis at 40-80 mcg per day. With T3, I would suggest not going over 150mcg per day during your dieting and not using it for more than 6 weeks in this fashion. Even with this, I would use it for 5 days and then have 2 days off.
7.GH: This will increase fat burning by up to 20% in some cases and will help you hold on to your muscle mass. For dieting purposes between 2 and 4iu per day seems best as more GH results in water retention. Again I would use it for 5 days in a row and then have 2 days off, although in some cases using it straight through works great.
8.Anabolics: Obviously, the long acting androgens cannot be used and neither can Deca due to the water retaining properties. Drugs that work well during the dieting phase are Anadrol, Test Proprionate, Anavar, Winstrol, Primbolan, Parabolan and Masteron
9.Training: A great number of people feel that their training has to change during the contest prep period and to me this is utter non-sense. If you train hard and heavy, as you should be doing, you need to continue it during the contest prep. I am not saying don’t be cautious, as you must when your bodyfat starts to drop and you do not want things to tear or injure, but training balls to the wall with some added "shaping" exercises will help to insure that you come in as big and full as possible. Has anyone seen the "Battle for the Olympia 98" tape? Kevin Levrone is the hardest training athlete on the tape, using weights that would crush most bodybuilders in the off-season, let alone 10 days before a competition. 500lb bench presses for 3 reps and 455lb inclines for 4-6 reps!!! And this is after he tore his pec!!! Kevin, I take my hat off to you as you are a fucking animal, and yet we are bombarded with bullshit strength claims about Kovacs and told that Cormeir is the strongest Pro. Now if Kevin would only put in a good 10 months of balls out training, and give me a call so we can tweak his program, he would be a 260lb freak that would crush anyone in his path
10.. Rest and Recovery: Yes you want to increase your metabolism, but if you do not give yourself adequate rest and recovery, you might as well take a 10ml barrel of cortisone, inject it and watch your muscles get eaten. Training for 4 hours per day and then doing 2 hours of cardio on a 1500-2000kcal diet while using D.N.P, GH, Cytomel and Clenbuterol will spell disaster!!
On a final note, I would suggest those of you who have yet to compete and diet for a show, but plan on doing so in the near future, set up a mock competition and go through a pre-contest phase. I would follow all of the above steps with one exception: I would over-diet a bit. The reason for this is 2 fold. First, it is often necessary to over-diet in order to get rid of stubborn fat deposits that have been with you for years and years (especially if you spent the necessary years of natural training, power-body-building and eating till you are bulked up to the size of a whale) Second, after a strict and severe pre-contest phase, your body will rebound like a fucking rocket and you will put on a tremendous amount of new, lean, quality size, plus you will tend to be leaner than you have ever been even when you are at your off-season heaviest. If you remember when Paul Dillet first came out and did the North Americans, he dieted down from an offseason high of around 295lbs, but came in a stringy 240, and very unimpressive. However the following year he came in 20lbs heavy and hard as rock. A lot of this has to do with the fact that this was his first major competition and he was coming down for the first time from a huge off-season bodyweight. He invariably had to sacrifice a good deal of muscle to get rid of the body-fat the first time around. But the following year, his body was already primed and leaner and he was able to come in huge and ripped.
*As a rule of thumb, it is important to have patience and start early and go slowly. This will allow for an even distribution of fat burning and save your muscles.

[Matt Cena]

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Nutrition Made Simple

By Trevor L. Smith

Pizza, chocolate, cheeseburgers, french-fries, kentucky fried chicken, chinese food, ice-cream and soda. No, no, this is not the food list for my next holiday party. This is, in fact, what I have come to learn is the mainstay of most succesful and huge pro’s diets in the off-season.
Clenbuterol, lasix, cytomel, E.C.A., DNP. These are,in fact, the tools a lot of Pro’s use to insure that what they eat in the off-season doesn’t result in spare tires, tits and a gut.

I apologize if I shattered anyone’s misconception about what the Pro’s eat. The fact is, the metabolism of the average high level amateur or pro is kicking at a higher level than your average Ed. Because of this, they can get away with eating whatever the fuck they want pretty much all year long—with the exception being contest prep time.
Personally I feel that, unless you are holding quite a bit of bodyfat, it is fool hardy to eat clean all the time. You need look no further than all the big-boys in the sport to find out if this theory holds any water (and fat too!)
You look at someone like Shawn Ray. Great bodybuilder no doubt, but great for circa 1987 where his physique seems to have been stuck in the past 12 years. "Eating Clean" has resulted in a number of pro’s who’s physiques have remained stagnent and unchanged.
I remember a conversation I had with Ian about the difference between the non-american bodybuilders and their american counterparts. He said the one thing he could never understand about the american bodybuilders was their delusion that they had to eat chicken breasts and baked potatoes 24/7 365 days a year. Aside from making dieting even harder than it already is come contest time, it tends to keep the metabolism stuck in neutral. Shocking the system every now and again always keeps the metabolic rate high and in doing this allows more muscle mass to be built, which the last time I checked was the reason bodybuilding became a sport in the first place!
How many pro’s started their careers eating chicken breasts broccoli and potatos, only to make zero progress until they started eating everything and anything in site! You don’t pack on size eating like a gymnast.
I feel that the smart move to make for an off-season bodybuilder looking to acquire new size is to make sure they get in 450-500 grams of protein per day and then eat whatever the hell they want within reason. I’m not suggesting a diet of twinkies and ice cream, but if you desire a little snack after you get in all your nutritional needs…go for it. If controlling fat is a concern, you can always cut back on the carbs.
Following this rule has resulted in more freaks than you can imagine. Why is it that someone like Lee Priest carries 20lbs more tissue than Shawn Ray and is a good 2 inches shorter? It’s in the eating I guarantee it! Both use steroids, and in fact, Shawn has used them for a longer time period as he is both older and has been around longer. For those who think that the difference lies in the amounts I say simply that you would be surprised how far some pro’s get on training and eating like a fucking animal. People like to chalk steroids and gear use up as the deciding factor on why they don’t look like the Pro’s when the reality of the situation is that there are multiple factors at play. But it’s always easier to point the finger and say "he’s a total juice monster and uses a gram of test every day……that’s why he’s a pro and I’m only 215lbs" "I’m not willing to do that to my body!" Yet these same people take offense when they hear the whispers and assinine comments from the general public who think "I could look like that guy, all I have to do is gobble up lots of steroids everyday".
In conclusion, I would suggest and offseason program that relies heavily on protein (450-500 grams a day) and then eat basic, high calorie foods. Things such as milk, whole eggs, steaks and pasta have resulted in more mass then broiled chicken and broccoli every have. Remember, fat can always be stripped off, muscle is a little harder to put on. Pack on the muscle and let the fat come along for the ride……then give yourself time to tighten things up and burn off the fat. Concerning yourself with appearance all year long is a sure fire way to keep your physique from causing heads to turn. There is a time and a place for everything and as the Zen monks say "You cannot serve two masters at once."

[Matt Cena]

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Interview with Lee Priest

EDITORS NOTE*

LEE PRIEST. IFBB PROFESSIONAL SINCE 1993, HAS ACHIEVED AND ACCOMPLISHED MORE THAN ANY BODYBUILDER CAN DESIRE. MEETING WITH LEE HAS ALLOWED ME TO SEE THAT HIS RECOGNITION AND POPULARITY IN THE SPORT OF BODYBUILDING HAS NOT MADE HIM OBNOXIOUS OR COCKY AT ALL. DESPITE ALL THE PRESS LEE RECEIVES FOR HIS "OUTSPOKEN" COMMENTS, HE PROJECTS A MODEST DEMEANOR AND A HUMANE EXISTENCE. LEE DONATES MONEY TO HOMELESS SHELTERS AND CHILDREN AND FILLS HIS HOME WITH RESCUED ANIMALS. HE REGULARLY HOSTS DINNER PARTIES AND BARBECUES FOR HIS FRIENDS STOCKED WITH ENORMOUS SUPPLIES TO FILL EACH GUEST FOR A WEEK. I’M SURE THIS IS NOT THE PICTURE YOU IMAGINE WHEN YOU THINK OF LEE PRIEST. HERE IS A GUY WHO IS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO KNOW HOW TO ENJOY HIS SUCCESS, HIS MONEY, HIS FRIENDS AND HIS FAMILY.

WITHOUT QUESTION, WHEN THE WORD HARD-CORE IS MENTIONED LEE PRIEST’S NAME IS NOT TOO FAR BEHIND. AT 5’5’’ AND AN OFFSEASON WEIGHT BETWEEN 285-300LBS (STILL SHOWING ABS!!) ONE COULD EASILY ARGUE THAT POUND FOR POUND; LEE PRIEST IS THE BIGGEST MAN IN THE SPORT. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN WITH THE MAN KNOWN AS "THE BLOND MYTH" AND DELVE DEEP INTO HIS THOUGHTS ON BODYBUILDING COMPETITION, NUTRITION, TRAINING AND PHARMACEUTICALS… LEE I HAVE TO TELL YOU, SEEING YOU EVERY YEAR COME IN SHREDDED AND HUGE AND STILL PLACE BEHIND PEOPLE LIKE DILLET AND RAY MAKES ME LOSE ALL HOPE THAT BODYBUILDING WILL EVER BE A TRUE SPORT. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHY YOU GET PLACED BELOW SOMEONE LIKE SHAWN RAY WHO HAS NOT GAINED SO MUCH AS 5 POUNDS OF TISSUE SINCE FIRST TURNING PRO BACK IN 1987. I MEAN, IF WE TOOK THE TOP BODYBUILDERS FROM 1987 AND HAD THEM SOMEHOW COMPETE TODAY, NOT ONE OF THEM—EXCEPT FOR LEE HANEY---WOULD BE ABLE TO COMPETE AT EVEN LOWER CALIBER PRO-SHOW. BE HONEST AND SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
I don’t know? Some people say it’s the height thing with me only being 5’5’’, but Shawn is only 2 inches taller than I am. They say he’s got the perfect symmetry, and I really don’t feel my symmetry is any better or worse than his is, but mass wise I have a lot more mass than Shawn does. I think it’s because he’s black that he places ahead of me, I mean I am not racist, but if you look over the past 3 years, the I.F.B.B. has stood for the International Federation Of Black Bodybuilders…

(LEE WAS WAS LAUGHING HISTERICALLY AT THIS POINT AND TOTALLY JOKING, MOCKINGLY IMPLYING THAT REVERSE RACISM IS THE CAUSE OF HIS PLACINGS, SO PLEASE DON'T EMAIL ME COMMENTS THAT LEE IS A RACIST...HE WAS TOTALLY JOKING)

I also think, with Shawn, since he’s been around so long, he walks on stage and automatically gets placed in the top 5. The same thing happens with Flex. Now with Flex he almost always deserves it, but on occasion he has come in less than sharp and still gets placed high, hell sometimes he even wins. Remember the Iron Man a few years ago when Aaron Baker looked fucking insane and he lost to and out of shape Flex? I honestly think the judges are too lazy to sometimes even look up to see who is actually in shape and who isn’t. If an unknown comes along, like Marcus Ruhl, and he is the best on that day, he should win. Yet they place guys who are known and not in shape ahead of him, and this poor guy is left wondering what the fuck he has to do to get a fair deal. Again I think it goes back to the judges being too lazy, they know someone like Flex is entering a show and they automatically place him in a top spot before they ever even see what he looks like.
THIS IS TRUE, BUT THE BIZARRE THING WITH SHAWN IS THAT HE IS NOT IN THE LIMELIGHT ALL THAT MUCH, ALL HE DOES IS ONE SHOW A YEAR.
I guess we just have to put it under the category of the Bermuda Triangle or Rosewell…..No one is really quite sure why these mystical events occur, but they do…
THE OTHER DAY I GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH A GUY WHO SWORE THAT HE "KNOWS" THAT YOU USE 1 GRAM OF TEST PER DAY 365 DAYS PER YEAR. HELL EVEN MY EX-PARTNER BORRESEN WOULD GO AROUND CLAIMING YOU USED 3000MG OF GEAR PER DAY. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THESE AND ALL OTHER OUTRAGEOUS CLAIMS THAT ARE CONSTANTLY FLOATED ABOUT YOU, PARTICULARLY ON THESE INTERNET BODYBUILDING BOARDS?
Oh well the experts on the Internet bodybuilding boards…well they know everything now don’t they. In fact, I go on the boards just to find out what I am supposed to be taking in case I forget. Lord knows that one would be foolish not to listen to guys hiding behind a computer that use more gear than a stable of race-horses and all they have to show for it is a 195lb. piss-poor physique shriveled nuts and a nice case of gyno. The fact is when it comes to training, diet and drugs; I’ve always been honest and tell people what exactly I do. And when I tell them that courses for me are something like 2cc’s of deca and 2cc’s of primo a week for 6-8 weeks, they tell me bullshit 2cc’s, more like 2 bottles. What can I say, some guys go way overboard, but I don’t. I hate needles and I’d much rather just get fat and train heavy in the off-season.
Last year at the Ironman, people complained about my condition and said I was through, but the fact is, is that I did that show totally natural just to prove I could do it. Sure I was 15lbs smaller and not as hard, but I still looked pretty good. I’d like to see the other guys do a show naturally. Oh I forgot, Ronnie Coleman is the Natural Mr. Olympia…

ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT I HAVE FIRST HAND KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT YOUR COURSES HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST AND THEY ARE LESS THAN WHAT STATE LEVEL COMPETITORS USE. OF COURSE IF I HAVE MY WAY, THAT WILL ALL CHANGE
Like I said, I hate needles and hate taking the shit. I use 3 or 4 compounds ( primo, winstrol, clen and maybe some gh) all in small amounts during my precontest training because it helps me keep my size and helps me recovery
WELL WHAT DO YOU DO IN THE OFFSEASON THAN?
Nothing! Or almost nothing. I typically will do one mass course consisting of deca and primo in the amounts I mentioned before for 6-8 weeks and then I’ll have 4-6 months clean depending on when my next show is. I really don’t give a fuck if people believe it, but that’s the truth. If it helps them to justify why I am a pro and they are not, they will believe that I walk around with a blatter pack of test on an I.V. drip all day long. Remember that article on the web last year called the Dead Pool?
DON’T YOU EVER WONDER WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU DID A COUPLE OF MORE AGGRESSIVE MASS COURSES DURING YOUR OFFSEASON? CHRIST, YOU’D PROBABLY COMPETE AT 230LBS. SHREDDED AT A HEIGHT OF 5’5’’(WHICH WOULD EQUATE TO 250LBS. IN THE BODYBUILDING MAGAZINES SEEING HOW THEY ALWAYS LIE ABOUT THE COMPETITORS WEIGHTS)….THAT WOULD BE INSANE
Yeah, when I hear the amounts others are using and the amounts I’m supposed to be using, it makes me wonder. Especially since the little amounts I use now have resulted in good gains. But then you run the risk of falling into the "if 2 work then 4 must be better" and where does it stop?
THAT STATEMENT HAS SOME VALIDITY, BUT I THINK YOU ERROR ON THE SIDE OF BEING WAY TO CONSERVATIVE. THERE’S A FINE LINE BETWEEN ABUSE AND PROPER USE OF LARGER AMOUNTS AT THE RIGHT TIMES. MY OWN THOUGHTS ARE THAT YOU DO NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF THE NEWER TRENDS AND NEWER TECHNOLOGY THAT COULD MAKE A REAL CHANGE IN AN ALREADY FREAKY PHYSIQUE
I am though…(laughing) Look see, as we speak I am eating 2 hotdogs and a diet mountain dew…That’s my heavy cycle
WATCH OUT NOW, WITHIN 3 DAYS THERE WILL BE RUMORS ALL OVER THE INTERNET THAT LEE PRIEST EATS 30 HOTDOGS AND WASHES IT DOWN WITH A CASE OF DIET MOUNTAIN DEW…..
I know…..sometimes I start rumors on myself, just to see how fast these fucking idiots spread them…I had an ingrown hair in my head that was removed last year and within a few days I was getting calls from my friend in Texas saying he heard I had brain cancer..
WELL THEN YOU SHOULD GET A BURIAL PLOT NEXT TO ME, BECAUSE ACCORDING TO BORRESEN, I’M DYING OF BRAIN CANCER…..
LET’S GET BACK TO BORRESEN FOR A SECOND. WHEN I FIRST MET HIM HE SAID THAT YOU AND MILOS (SARCEV) WERE DOING THE BRITISH GRAND PRIX AND SPECIFICALLY WANTED TO TALK WITH PAUL ABOUT HIS THEORIES. IS THIS CORRECT?

No, I didn’t even know Paul. Milos and myself were eating ice cream and apple pie after the contest and Kerry Kayes came into the restaurant with some of the guys from Chemical Warfare (his company). They sat at the table next to us and Kerry (who Milos and myself knew well) introduced everyone to us. One of the guys was Paul. I think we spoke 5 maybe 10 words to him, we mainly spoke with Kerry the whole time.
THAT’S FUNNY, CAUSE THE STORY I GOT FROM PAUL, WAS THAT HE WAS SITTING WITH YOU AND MILOS AND YOU WERE PICKING HIS BRAIN AND KERRY CAME IN AND INTRODUCED HIMSELF TO YOU GUYS AND YOU TOLD HIM TO KINDLY LEAVE YOU ALONE AS YOU WANTED TO ONLY SPEAK WITH PAUL….
Sorry, but it just did not happen that way. But look at the source.
BACK TO BODYBUILDING, WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THIS OFFSEASON AND UPCOMING CONTEST SEASON?
For the offseason….EATING! Actually I only have 2 months left before I start my contest prep for the NOC
ARE YOU GOING TO DO A MASS COURSE BEFORE THAT?
I don’t know….don’t push me (laughing) Have I got enough time to do one?
WELL YOU HAVE 8 WEEKS BEFORE YOU START YOUR CONTEST PREP AND THE MASS COURSE WOULD ONLY BE 4 OR 6 WEEKS….
I might then….I might…If I am a good boy, I might….Then I’ll do the NOC and Mr. Olympia. So if I have time I will do the mass course you map out for me, then I will go into pre-contest for the NOC. Then I have about 2 months off and then start dieting again for the Mr. Olympia.
WHAT IS A TYPICAL DAY OF EATING IN THE OFF SEASON FOR LEE PRIEST. (ACCORDING TO PAUL IT’S GOBS OF INSULIN AND 30 BIG MACS) AND JUST YESTERDAY, I WAS SENT AN ANONYMOUS GOSSIP COLUMN THAT CLAIMED YOU WERE SPOTTED EATING 2 LARGE PIZZAS BY YOURSELF. BUT I THINK YOU ARE A SLIGHTLY MORE RELIABLE SOURCE ON THE MATTER
Well seeing how I don’t like pizza all that much, that story is pretty much shot to shit. When I go to a place like McDonald’s I’ll typically order 2 hamburgers, small fried, a shack and 6 chicken nuggets. I never eat large amounts at any one sitting I just eat what I want all throughout the day, constantly picking at food. As for insulin use, I’m hypoglycemic and cannot use insulin and have no desire to anyway. If you want I’ll give you my doctor’s number and he can show you my blood sugar tests.
WHAT ARE YOU WEIGHING RIGHT NOW?
Well I just got over stomach flu last week, which made me lose 12 lbs., so I’m currently 242. Getting back to the ridiculous claims about people seeing me eat in a restaurant, I’d love to know who the fuck they are seeing because I rarely go out to eat. To me it’s hit the drive through and go home.
YOU MEAN YOU’RE NOT A FIXTURE AT THE "FIREHOUSE"?
Fuck the FIREHOUSE! The food sucks, and it’s overpriced. It’s where the "IN-CROWD" goes to be seen eating their chicken breast and rice looking like fat bags of shit and gossiping about people like me. You ever notice that there are always 20 out-of town wannabe bodybuilders wearing spandex tank tops bloated and holding 40 pounds of water trying to be noticed?
YEAH, IT’S FUCKING SAD. BODYBUILDERS’ WONDER WHY THE GENERAL PUBLIC DOESN’T ACCEPT THEM, YET THERE ARE SOME THAT PRACTICALLY WALK AROUND WITH NEON SIGNS AROUND THEIR NECKS SAYING "NOTICE ME". UNFORTUNATELY BODYBUILDING ATTRACTS A LOT OF INSECURE PEOPLE WHO THINK THEY ARE BETTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE JUST BECAUSE THEY HAVE BIGGER ARMS. GETTING BACK TO GEAR USE. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON IT IN TERMS OF THE SPORT AND WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING?
They’re never gonna stop it in any sport. Bodybuilders get accused of being worse than any other sport in terms of use because we look so different. But on a list of steroid use in sports I once read a few years back, bodybuilding was number 8 and soccer players were number 1. My only problem is with the young kids who want to start using them before they have even started training or built up any type of natural base.
WELL ACCORDING TO SOME OF THE RUMORS ABOUT YOU, YOU STARTED USING GEAR WHEN YOU WERE 13 AND IT STUNTED YOUR GROWTH, WHICH IS WHY YOU ARE ONLY 5’5’’.
Well the fact is, I did my first cycle at the age of 19, which was 2 cc’s of Solay Deca a week for 8 weeks. As for my growth being stunted, I’m the tallest in my family. My mom is 5’4", my sister is 5’3’’ my father is 5’5", my grandfather’s 5’3’’ so there goes that theory.
WHAT IS YOUR TRAINING LIKE? I KNOW IT DIFFERS DRAMATICALLY FROM THE WAY I FEEL IT SHOULD BE DONE, BUT I’D LIKE TO HERE IT FROM YOU.
Well, I normally like to keep it heavy if I can, unless I’m injured and have to go light which I hate. I like to do between 6 and 8 reps per sets and a minimum of 16 sets per bodypart, sometimes 20 and for legs even more….but that’s because I’M A FUCKING ANIMAL (jesting and laughing ).

YOU GOT IN TROUBLE LAST YEAR FOR MAKING THE OBVIOUS STATEMENT THAT THE JUDGING IS SUSPECT DUE TO THE FACT THAT CERTAIN JUDGES SLEEP WITH THE COMPETITORS BOTH MALE AND FEMALE. FEEL FREE NOT TO COMMENT, BUT WHERE THE FUCK DO THEY GET OFF FINING YOU, WHEN IT IS PRETTY MUCH COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT AT LEAST ONE RATHER BODACIOUS AND HOT FEMALE JUDGE HAS SCREWED MORE THAN A FEW BODYBUILDERS. EVEN BEING OVERHEARD TO SAY "I DON’T CARE WHAT FLEX LOOKS LIKE, I ALWAYS PLACE HIM AHEAD CAUSE I THINK HE’S SO GODDAMN SEXY!" WHERE THE FUCK DO THEY GET THESE JUDGES? A STRIP CLUB?
Well that’s a good question. I wonder where some of these judges come from and why they are judging. I’m not trying to put anyone down, but some people are qualified to be judges like Mike Katz and Albert Beckles, and some have absolutely no right whatsoever. Nowadays, a lot of the judging is done even before the competitors hit the stage because they expert that a person will be in shape. And god forbid you express your thoughts and it rubs a promoter or official the wrong way, the next thing you know, you’re marked down 4 slots before you even step on stage. To me one thing should have nothing to do with the other. Professionals don’t behave that way. If policemen behave that way they are fired or suspended, if businessmen behave that way they are sued for discrimination. But not the judges. I could tell you dozens of stories about some of the judges, but I cannot afford the fines. (laughing)
WHO ARE SOME OF THE BODYBUILDERS OUT THERE THAT IMPRESS YOU
I’ve always liked the freakier types of physiques. Tom Platz, Phil Hill, Eddie Robinson, Mohammed Benazzizia and of course Dorian. I really liked Dorian because of his work ethic. You could see that he busted his ass when he trained. The guys today give you every fucking excuse in the world not to train and use nothing but machines. Although bodybuilders don’t get a lot of money, the money they do get often makes them lazy. If you look, you can see that some of the pros looked better and trained harder when they were amateurs fighting to win a pro card.
WELL EVEN ARNOLD WAS NOTORIOUS FOR TRAINING 3 MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR AND THEN NOT TOUCHING A WEIGHT FOR THE REST OF THE TIME, AND IF YOU SEE PICTURES OF HIM IN HIS "OFF SEASON" HE’S A SCRAWNY AND SOFT 200LBS.
Right. I can respect Arnold for what he accomplished, but to me I really admire and respect someone like Dorian because he always worked hard and busted his but in the gym every day. Now days, I see some of the top pro’s training and it’s a joke. As soon as the set starts to become uncomfortable they stop. They never push themselves to the point of real pain or discomfort. You never see them crawling out of a gym after training. They look like they just woke up from a nap. It’s sad to see when someone has genetics 10 times better than Dorian, but trains 30 times less hard. They are satisfied with less than their best. To me, my best is all that matters….I would be disgraced even if I won the Mr. Olympia and new I only gave it 70% my best. There’s no honor in that.
HOW DO YOU FEEL DORIAN WOULD FAIR AGAINST RONNIE COLEMAN NOW?
I think Dorian at his best (1993) would easily beat Ronnie. Dorian might not be as symmetrical as Ronnie, but all over he was more complete and in better condition at his best.
THIS YEARS N.O.C. WAS A FUCKING JOKE. HOW ON EARTH DILLET WON IS ANYBODY’S GUESS. THE FACT IS, THAT RUHL WAS 15LBS. BIGGER AND IN BETTER CONDITION AND YET HE GOT STUCK IN FOURTH PLACE. WHAT DOES THIS GUY HAVE TO DO TO GET A FAIR SHAKE.
I like Paul alot and he’s a friend of mine, but I’ve seen him look a lot better and Marcus Ruhl looked incredible. People say that Ruhl’s shapes not that great, but to me his shape is no better or worse than Dorian or Nassers and he has as much mass and in great condition. It goes back to the judging and the lack of consistency. If you notice, they’ll sometimes place a freakier, less symmetrical bodybuilder first and then give second to a symmetrical physique, then give 3rd to another freak etc. There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason half the time and people like Marcus Ruhl pay the price. To me it’s worse for the women because they are constantly having to guess at what the judges are looking for. I feel sorry for them.
I FEEL SORRY FOR THE WOMEN TO…BUT IT’S BECAUSE THEY LOOK LIKE MEN WITH BREAST IMPLANTS….CHRIST SOME OF THESE THINGS LOOK HAVE 5 O’CLOCK SHADOWS AND VOICES DEEPER THAN JAMES EARL JONES NOT TO MENTION WARPED SKELETAL STRUCTURE AND BULGES IN THEIR PANTS FROM THEIR OVER GROWN CLITS…..TO ME THEY ARE WALKING VOMIT INDUCERS. ALRIGHT, LET’S CHANGE THE FOCUS TO THE WOMEN. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE TRANSVESTITE SHOWS MASKED AS "WOMEN’S BODYBUILDING"
Well there are a few out there that still look feminine, but there comes a point when they go way overboard. Lenda Murray had a nice balance between being feminine and muscular as did Cory Everson and Anja Langer. I look at some of these competitors and swear they are guys who had sex changes or they are guys who couldn’t cut it in the men’s division so they just tucked their dicks under, put on some make-up and compete in the women’s division. I mean on the Howard Stern show they had Nicole Bass on and they made her take a DNA test to prove she is a women. Nothing against her, she’s nice and all, but it’s a shame what she did to herself. The general public looks at her and they don’t understand about women’s bodybuilding so they think she is a transvestite and a man.
WELL COUNT ME IN WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC CAUSE I SURE AS FUCK DON’T UNDERSTAND IT EITHER. TO ME, A PHYSIQUE LIKE MONICA BRANDT (LAST YEAR AT THE FITNESS O) SHOULD BE WHAT MISS OLYMPIA IS ALL ABOUT. CORY EVERSON WAS ABOUT AS FAR AS THE ENVELOPE SHOULD BE PUSHED IN MY OPINION. FITNESS COMPETITIONS INJECTED KNEW LIFE INTO THE SPORT FOR WOMEN AND YET WE ARE STARTING TO SEE A LOT OF WIDESPREAD DRUG USE EVEN IN THIS ARENA. CARE TO COMMENT?
Tell me about it, I know lots of fitness girls that live on clenbuterol, cytomel, winstrol and primobolan. Then they go around claiming they are natural and put down other women bodybuilders. But then again you have a lot of men bodybuilders and models that claim to be natural and I know who they are buying their drugs from.
ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT A CERTAIN WELL KNOWN PRETTY BOY "NATURAL UNIVERSE" WINNER WHO IS ALSO CURRENTLY ON A "BATTLING" T.V. SHOW.
Why yes I am….I guess you can say you are steroid free when you mostly use growth hormone and clenbuterol
LET’S TALK ABOUT THE 1999 MR. O AND HOW YOU SAW IT IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME IT WENT COLEMAN, WHEELER, CORMIER, LEVRONE, RAY, EL SONBATY, DILLET, YOURSELF,( Lee interrupts laughing: you mean there was a white guy up there in the top 10, how did that happen) JACKSON AND SARCEV….. I think that it could have gone either way with between Flex and Ronnie. The only thing Ronnie had better than flex was shredded glutes and to me (and according to I.F.B.B. rules) the ass isn’t a judging point, but ronnie walked around with is posing trunks up his ass. To me when my ass is my best bodypart I’m gonna quite the sport. As for the rest of the placings, 3rd through 8th could have gone in any way and made sense. Granted I was a little more depleted than I should have been, but I was in as good or better shape than anyone ahead of me and pound for pound I have as much if not more mass, but who knows.
LAST QUESTION: ANY PREDICTIONS FOR THE COMING YEAR?
Yes…Lee Priest will get screwed no matter what he does and I guarantee no matter how I look at the N.O.C. there will be someone there they place ahead of me.
THAT WOULD LEAVE ONE TO BELIEVE THAT IT MIGHT BEHOOVE YOU TO LISTEN TO MY ADVICE.
(Lee starts laughing before he speaks) What’s that…shave my head and paint myself black? Enter the contest as Shawn Ray? I was thinking for the next Olympia I would paint myself black and put my name down as Shawn Ray seeing how the judges usually don’t even bother to look up to see who it is that they are automatically placing in the top spots.
ACTUALLY I WAS THINKING MORE ALONG THE LINES OF THE MASS COURSE AND CONTEST PREP COURSE I SUGGESTED
I know, but think about it, even if the judges realize there are 2 Shawn Ray’s competing I will probably get placed higher just because of the name recognition.
THANKS LEE, YOU ARE DEFINITELY MY VIEW OF WHAT BODYBUILDING SHOULD BE ABOUT AND IT WOULD BE GREAT TO SEE YOU GET THE PLACINGS YOU DESERVE. HOPEFULLY YOU WOULD BE OPEN TO DO THIS AGAIN SOMETIME.
*NOTE: LEE PRIEST IS NOT IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM A RACIST. ANY REFERENCES TO RACE IN THIS ARTICLE WERE DONE SO PURELY FOR COMICAL PURPOSES. LEE SIMPLY FEELS THAT WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY WHERE AN INORDINATE NUMBER OF INJUSTICES ARE OFTEN BLAMED ON THE COLOR OF ONES SKIN. WHILE THIS IS CERTAINLY TRUE IN MANY, MANY CASES, OUR SOCIETY HAS BECOME SO OVERLY-SENSITIVE AND POLITICALLY CORRECT THAT IF YOU CALL SOMEONE AN ASSHOLE BECAUSE THEY BEHAVE LIKE ONE, AND THEY HAPPEN TO BE OF A DIFFERENT RACE, YOU ARE IMMEDIATELY ACCUSED OF BEING A RACIST. IN THIS ARTICLE, LEE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FUNNY IF HE CRIED REVERSE RACISM AS A WAY TO MOCK THE CURRENT CONDITION OF OUR SOCIETY. I MYSELF FOUND LEE'S SENSE OF HUMOR TO BE REFRESHING IN A WORLD FULL OF BORING ARTICLES THAT GIVE ABSOLUTELY NO INSITE INTO THE HUMAN SIDE OF PROFESSIONAL BODYBUILDERS

[Matt Cena]

Anyone interested should check out the Ian Harrison Q&A Thread here on RX Muscle:
RX Muscle Forums

[Matt Cena]

Clearing the Receptors By Trevor L. Smith

The following information is for entertainment purposes only...Nuclear Nutrition does not condone the use of steroids or any other illegal drug. No liability is assumed by Nuclear Nutrition
A lot has been said in regards to clearing the receptors and I thought now would be a good time to delve into this subject and simplify things.
Basically, one must view the receptor sites as parking spaces.
Envision a slew of parking spaces that are all empty. Now we are going to call these parking spaces your receptor sites and we shall call steroids the cars. Now I want you to imagine one of those old 1950's style drive up hamburger stands where the girls come up in roller skates and take your order. Typically one would order a burger, fries and a coke--ah the food of the gods--the waitress would take the order, go bring the information to the cook, who would in-turn make the food and the waitress would then bring the food to you and you would then begin eating which is the whole reason you came to the hamburger stand in the first place.
I think everyone can easily understand that. Which means everyone can easily understand all they need to know about the receptor sites because they do the exact same thing. We will keep with this hamburger stand model and explain what happens when you inject steroids and they begin to go to work.
Remember how I said steroids were like the cars and the parking spaces were like the receptor sites? Well it is basically that simple. When you inject testosterone or any one of it's anabolic or androgenic derivatives, you are sending a whole slew of "cars" into your system. Now these "cars" are on a mission--just like you would be if you were hungry and heading to a hamburger stand. They have orders to place with the cells, but before they can place them they must first find a parking space.
Now let's say you have never used steroids before. If this were the case, it would be very much like a hamburger stand that was having a grand opening....lots and lots of empty parking spaces waiting for cars to fill them up and place their orders. The steroids (cars) enter the system and come to a brand new hamburger stand called your cells. Now these cells have never previously been open to the boat-load of anabolics that are now present in the system because they previously only dealt with what your body naturally produced. However, there are lots of extra parking spaces that can be utilized and so the steroids park themselves into these spaces.
Once they are parked a "waitress" called CYCLICl AMP literally crosses the cellular membrane which is totally impenetrably to anything else and takes the order from the steroid. The order is quite simple: Build More Muscle!!
The "waitress" then crosses back through the cellular membrane and brings the order to the "cook" called the Nucleus who begins to fill it by ordering its helpers called Ribosomes to produce muscle protein.. Now different steroids will have slightly different orders in that some may have a bigger order for the cook to fill--such as testosterone. The thing you have to realize is that a lot of times, after the order is placed, the steroid does not necessarily leave the parking space and make it available to other steroids.....it will often sit in the parking space even though it is no longer sending orders to the "waitress" to bring to the "cook", and this is where the problem of "DOWN-REGULATION" comes in. You see even if you send in more and more fresh new "cars" to occupy the receptor spaces, if they are already taken up by old "dead cars" you are shit out of luck.....
This is why you do not continually grow by injecting bigger and bigger doses of steroids. THERE ARE A LIMITED NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES. Now it would not be so bad if all the parking spaces were taken by "cars" that were sending orders to the cook, because that is when you grow. The problem is when there are "cars" that are no longer sending orders and on top of that have dead batteries which is preventing them from exiting the receptors parking space.
This is what the whole point of this article is....TOWING AWAY ALL THE DEAD "CARS" FROM THE RECEPTOR SITES PARKING SPACES AS TO FREE THEM UP FOR NEW, FRESH, HUNGRY "CARS" TO OCCUPY THEM...This will result in new muscle mass!
O.K. Trevor, I am with you so far, but what the fuck can I do about it?
The answer is ...PLENTY!
First and foremost, is to plan sensible courses. This is why I am an advocate of short courses designed in such a fashion as to have all drugs out of the system by the end of the cycle and then allow for a 3-4 week off time in which you are totally clean. If you stay on these monster 4-6 month courses, you just wind up screwing yourself and requiring that much longer of an off period. The longer you are on, the more the body recognizes that there is "too much" in the system and will begin to take counter measures. And the longer you are on, the more "dead cars" you will have sitting in the receptor parking spaces which means NO MORE GROWING!
Now with this in mind, how can we help get the cars out of there?
Well WE actually cannot, but the body can and will. Basically as time goes by, the body will free up the parking spaces just like a tow truck would remove a dead car from a parking space. However, you are at the mercy of time in this situation which is why it is important to utilize short courses that will cause less disturbance in the system, less "dead cars" in the receptor spaces and therefore less time needed for the body to remove them and free up the spaces.
That being said, it should be noted that even short course will pile up "dead cars" after a while and you should give yourself an extended clean out of 2 months at least once a year.
But Trevor, isn't there anything I can do to help speed the process?
Once again the answer is yes!
You can help speed the process up dramatically by increasing your metabolic rate...Speeding up the metabolic rate is akin to hiring extra tow trucks to clear out all those "dead cars" that are occupying the receptor sites!
Have you ever know a person who was much, much fatter than you and yet ate half as much?
These poor bastards think they were given the genetic shaft and try every diet fad imaginable only to stay fat. Their problem no longer lies in their eating habits--which is ironic--; it lies in their metabolism, which basically was shut down due to the excess eating and lack of exercise that got them fat in the first place. Once you understand this, you can easily control your weight for the rest of your life. But what the fuck does this have to due with steroid receptor sites?
EVERYTHING!
The same thing I would prescribe someone whose metabolism has shut down due to obesity, is the same thing I would prescribe someone who's receptor sites are all clogged and is no longer making progress....INCREASE THE METABOLIC RATE!!
Below I will outline a few ways this can be achieved in the constraints of a 4 week Receptor Clearing Cycle follwing the completion of a Muscle Building Course using anabolics:
Diet: I suggest cutting back 300 calories below maintenance per day during a 4 week off time from your anabolic regime...I also suggest eating 6-8 small meals spread out from early morning to late at night. The higher the number of meals you eat, the more your body has to go to work and break down the food which causes the metabolic rate to increase.
Aerobics: Yet another tool in the battle to increase the metabolism, I would suggest low level aerobics 5 times per week 30 minutes per session.
Pharmacology: It is important that one does not have ANY anabolics that are active in the system during this time period.....make sure that you have had a good 4 weeks since your last shot of long acting compound before you embark on this 4 week receptor clearing cycle....otherwise you are wasting your fucking time! That being said, I would suggest the use of the following compounds to help accelerate the Receptor Clearing Process:
1. D.N.P. -- Understand that this is a fucking vicious poison and a component in T.N.T., and I do not suggest it's use at all, but to be fair I must admit that NOTHING can raise the metabolic rate like D.N.P. can. Because this is well known, there are many people that will want to try it...This being the case, D.N.P. should only be used in the following manner during this course: 3 days on, 4 days off at a dose of 4mg per kilogram of bodyweight taken before bed----have plenty of towels around and a fan to keep you cool!
2. Cytomel--T3 is another booster of metabolic rate which is why the fitness models live on this stuff...it keeps you engines running high and burns the fat right off....In this case, we are more concerned with the fact that it increases the metabolic rate. Suggested use is 75mcg -100mcg 5 days on 2 days off for the 4 week course
3. B.M.R. 10--I know, I know shameless plug right...well I don't care, in the past 3 weeks since this product has been released I have people calling me and emailing me telling me that this product blows the doors off every other thermogenic including, E/C/A, Clenbuterol and Cytomel, and Tenuate.....People actually think I put D.N.P. in this product. Trust me I did not, but I did formulate a product with 11 Basil Metabolic Rate increasing compounds that will make you hotter than an oven and melt the fat right off you. Again in this course we are more concerned with the metabolic increase this product will cause. Why hasn't anyone else come up with this formula...#1 All the other companies market to the general public which causes them water down there products #2 it is too expensive for their profit minded companies to justify it's production #3 They are not bodybuilders, I am and I know what works and what doesn not.

Doses: On the days you are NOT using D.N.P. have 4 caps before each of the first 5 meals.
* If you do not wish to use D.N.P.---which I think is the smarter approach as it is very dangerous---you can simply use the B.M.R. 10 on the days that you would be using D.N.P. In my opinion this is smarter, safer and will be just as effective.
There you have it...a brief simple lesson on your receptors and how you might go about keeping them free and clear so you can continue to Grow, Grow, Grow

[Matt Cena]

A Candid Interview w/ "PRO-X" A IFBB Competitor

WHAT CAUSED THE HUGE SIZE GAINS MADE BY SEASONED PROS OVER THE PAST 5-6 YEARS??
INTERVIEWS ARE A DIME A DOZEN AND CAN GO ONE OF 2 WAYS. THEY ARE EITHER COMPLETELY FUCKING BORING WHICH IS THE KIND YOU READ IN THE MAGAZINES.....OR THEY ARE COMPLETELY FABRICATED, LIKE THE KIND YOU SEE ON OTHER BODYBUILDING WEBSITES. THIS INTERVIEW REPRESENTS NEITHER. THE NAME OF THE INDIVIDUAL HAS BEEN KEPT ANONYMOUS DUE TO CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS. WITH THAT BEING SAID, WHAT IS TO FOLLOW IS A MOST INFORMATIVE AND EDUCATIONAL INTERVIEW ON ONE PARTICULAR TOPIC: WHAT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE 20-30LB BODYWEIGHT JUMPS FROM 1994-PRESENT. I MEAN LETS FACE IT, NASSER EL SONBATY WAS AN AVERAGE PRO UNTIL 1995 AND RONNIE COLEMAN WAS A 2ND OR 3RD TIER ATHLETE UP UNTIL 1997, JEAN PIERRE FUX GAINED 40 LBS OF TISSUE IN A YEAR AND A HALF, CHRIS CORMIER HAS GONE FROM AVERAGE TO TOP 3, HELL EVEN DORIAN WENT FROM 230LBS TO 260LBS SEEMINGLY OVERNIGHT. ALL OF THESE MEN HAVE HAD LOTS OF EXPERIENCE WITH STEROIDS AND G.H. SO THERE HAD TO BE ANOTHER FACTOR. AT FIRST IT WAS THOUGHT IGF-1 WAS RESPONSIBLE, BUT THIS PROVED TO BE A RATHER INEFFECTIVE COMPOUND. SO WHAT WAS IT? WELL LET'S BEGIN THE INTERVIEW.

THIS QUESTION HAS BEEN ON EVERYONE'S MIND SINCE THE EMERGENCE OF 280-290LB BODYBUILDERS FROM SEEMINGLY OUT OF NO-WHERE. I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT MUST HAVE BEEN THE EMERGENCE OF IGF-1, BUT THEN AFTER RESEARCHING SOME THINGS, I FOUND OUT THAT IGF-1 IS A SHIT DRUG AND DOESN'T DO MUCH. WHAT GIVES? I N S U L I N! THAT'S WHAT GIVES! I'VE KNOWN A LOT OF THESE GUYS FOR A WHILE NOW AND I CAN UNEQUIVOCALLY TELL YOU THAT IT IS THE RESULT OF INSULIN THAT THESE HUGE LEAPS HAVE BEEN MADE.
INSULIN? IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEN HOW COME SO MANY PEOPLE CLAIM IT WILL MAKE YOU FAT
BECAUSE IT CAN MAKE YOU FACT IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND DO NOT USE THE RIGHT TYPE.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW TO USE IT SO ONE WOULD NOT GET FAT.
ACTUALLY IT'S QUITE SIMPLY. YOU SEE THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF INSULIN L, N, R , AND HUMALOG. THE DIFFERENCE IS IN THE ACTING TIMES. L LASTS IN THE SYSTEM FOR AROUND 24HOURS PEAKING SEVERAL TIMES THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND TAKES 2 HOURS TO BEGIN TO WORK, N IS MEDIUM IN ITS ACTING TIME LASTING AROUND 12 HOURS AND R IS THE QUICKEST OF THESE THREE, LASTING FOR ABOUT 6 HOURS AND HITTING THE SYSTEM IN ABOUT 30-45 MINUTES. HUMALOG IS NEWER AND ACTUALLY BEGINS WORKING IN 5-15 MINUTES AND LASTS FOR 4 HOURS
ONCE YOU UNDERSTAND THIS, YOU CAN USE INSULIN TO YOUR ADVANTAGE. WITH ALL INSULIN YOU NEED TO HAVE GLUCOSE PRESENT IN THE BLOOD STREAM SO IT CAN HAVE SOMETHING TO ACT ON AND TRANSPORT IT INTO THE CELLS. THE POPULAR RULE OF THUMB OF 10-15 GRAMS OF GLUCOSE/CARBS PER I.U. OF INSULIN WAS SOMETHING THAT I ACTUALLY CAME UP WITH. PLEASE DON'T THINK I AM BEING ARROGANT, IT'S JUST THAT I WAS DOING A LOT OF RESEARCH ON INSULIN IN THE EARLY 90'S AND IT IS DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY DUE TO THAT RESEARCH THAT INSULIN HAS BECOME A POPULAR TOOL IN THE BODYBUILDERS ARSENAL. MANY PEOPLE HAVE CONTACTED ME ON HOW TO USE INSULIN. NOW WITH INSULIN YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT IT IS AN INDISCRIMINANT CARRIER WHICH IS BOTH GOOD AND BAD. GOOD BECAUSE ALONG WITH THE TRANSPORTING OF GLUCOSE, IT WILL ALSO TRANSPORT AMINO ACIDS INTO THE MUSCLE CELLS. BAD BECAUSE IF THERE IS A LOT OF FAT PRESENT, IT WILL SHOVE THAT INTO THE CELLS AS WELL AND THIS IS WHY YOU GET FAT FROM INSULIN. IF YOU USE A LONG ACTING INSULIN THAT PEAKS SEVERAL TIMES THROUGHOUT THE DAY, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU EAT A CARB AND PROTEIN MEAL EVERY 2 HOURS TO INSURE THAT WHEN IT PEAKS, YOU HAVE A NUTRIENT POOL AVAILABLE FOR IT TO WORK ON. IF YOU TOOK A SHOT OF INSULIN IN THE MORNING AND IT WAS LONG ACTING, IF YOU EAT A PIZZA AT 8:00PM, THE FAT WILL GET TRANSPORTED INTO THE CELLS AND YOU WILL GET FAT. THE WAY AROUND THIS IS TO 1. KEEP DIETARY FAT TO A MINIMUM ALL THE TIME OR 2. USE A FASTER ACTING INSULIN. FOR ME--EVEN THOUGH I ALWAYS EAT LESS THAN 30GRAMS OF FAT PER DAY--THE ANSWER SHOULD BE 2.
THE REASON FOR THIS LIES IN THE FACT THAT YOU CAN CONTROL IT MUCH BETTER IF YOU KNOW THAT IT IS HITTING IN 15-20MINUTES AND WILL BE OUT OF THE SYSTEM IN 4 HOURS OR LESS. ALL OF THE INCIDENTS OF PEOPLE FAINTING OR GOING INTO COMAS BECAUSE OF INSULIN HAS TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH GLUCOSE PRESENT IN THE BLOODSTREAM WHEN THE INSULIN PEAKED. WHEN YOU USE A LONG ACTING INSULIN THAT PEAKS AT VARIOUS TIMES OVER A 24HOUR PERIOD, YOU RUN A MUCH GREATER RISK OF NOT HAVING ENOUGH GLUCOSE PRESENT BECAUSE YOU ARE MORE APT TO SKIP A MEAL OR BE DRIVING IN YOUR CAR WHEN IT HITS...I LIKE THE HUMALOG THE BEST AND WOULD TELL EVERYONE TO USE IT SOLELY OR IF THEY CANNOT GET IT, USE THE R. DO NOT USE THE N!

DOES IT MATTER WHAT TYPES OF CARBS YOU EAT WHEN YOU USE INSULIN?
YES! I AM A FIRM BELIEVER THAT YOU SHOULD USE PRIMARILY SIMPLE CARBS.
SIMPLE CARBS?
YES. LOOK AT THE END OF THE DAY THE BODY BREAKS DOWN COMPLEX CARBS INTO GLUCOSE AND IT IS GLUCOSE THAT IS TRANSPORTED INTO THE CELLS. WHEN YOU ARE USING A RAPID ACTING INSULIN IT IS IMPORTANT TO MINIMIZE THE TIME IT TAKES THE BODY TO CONVERT CARBS TO SIMPLE SUGARS. WHY CREATE ANOTHER STEP IN THE PROCESS? IT ONLY TAKES MORE TIME AND YOU RUN THE RISK OF NOT HAVING ENOUGH OF THE COMPLEX CARBS BROKEN DOWN INTO GLUCOSE IN TIME WHEN THE INSULIN HITS. FOR THIS REASON I SUGGEST THE USE OF DEXTROSE.
SO WHAT IS THE REGIME YOU WOULD RECOMMEND?
WELL I SUGGEST THAT FOR OPTIMAL RESULTS, YOU USE HUMALOG AT 10-15IU'S IMMEDIATELY AFTER TRAINING BECAUSE THAT IS WHEN YOU BODY IS MOST DEPLETED OF GLYCOGEN STORES AND IS PRIMED TO OVERCOMPENSATE FOR THE INFLUX OF NUTRIENTS. NOW HUMALOG HITS IN 5-15MINUTES SO YOU MUST IMMEDIATELY INGEST 10 GRAMS OF SIMPLE CARBS PER EVERY I.U. OF INSULIN YOU USE (IN THIS CASE BETWEEN 100-150 GRAMS) I WOULD ALSO TAKE IN ADDITIONAL NUTRIENTS THAT HELP CONTRIBUTE TO MUSCLE GROWTH SUCH AS AMINO ACIDS OR 50 GRAMS OF WHEY ISOLATE. I WOULD ALSO HAVE 5 GRAMS OF CREATINE AT THIS TIME TO AID IN CELL VOLUMIZING.
THE BEST CASE SCENARIO WOULD BE TO DO THIS TWICE AND DAY AND THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN DO THIS TWICE A DAY IS IF YOU TRAIN TWICE A DAY (THE MORE YOU DEPLETE YOUR GLYCOGEN STORES, THE MORE OF AN OPPORTUNITY YOU HAVE TO USE INSULIN TO OVERCOMPENSATE WITH NUTRIENTS)
WOULD YOU USE INSULIN DURING YOUR CONTEST PREP?
ABSOLUTELY I WOULD NOT PREPARE WITHOUT IT. YOU JUST HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT YOU HAVE TO USE IT WHEN YOU CAN IN TERMS OF HIGH CARB AND LOW CARB DAYS WHEN YOU ARE DIETING.
SO LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT. YOU ARE TELLING ME THAT INSULIN ALONE IS WHAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE 20-30LB. JUMP IN LEAN BODY MASS IN ALL THE TOP GUYS?
ABSOLUTELY. I GUARANTEE THAT IF A BODYBUILDER IS STAGNANT AND HAS NOT USED INSULIN YET OR USED IT CORRECTLY, HE CAN PUT 20-30LBS OF MUSCLE ON. THERE IS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND. I AM SO SURE OF IT THAT I WOULD BET MY LIFE ON IT. I AM THAT POSITIVE.
ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT INSULIN WE SHOULD KNOW BEFORE WE MOVE ON?
YES. WHEN YOU USE IT, YOU WILL FIND THAT YOUR MUSCLES FILL OUT SO MUCH THAT YOU CANNOT USE IT EVERY DAY. I FIND THAT WITH MYSELF I CAN USE IF FOR 2-3 DAYS AND THEN OFF FOR 1-2 DAYS. EVERYONE VARIES, BUT THERE IS A POINT WHEN YOU ARE SO SUPERSATURATED THAT YOU CANNOT GET ANY FULLER. ALSO I WOULD NOT GO OVER 40 I.U.'S OF INSULIN PER DAY DIVIDED INTO 2 20IU SHOTS. JUST SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND
HAT'S IT FOR THIS TIME, UNFORTUNATELY DUE TO TIME CONSTRAINTS WE HAD TO END OUR CONVERSATION, BUT WILL BE CONTINUING IT SOON. STAY TUNED FOR THE SECOND PART OF MY CONVERSATION WITH "PRO-X"

[Matt Cena]

http://web.archive.org/web/20030222035158/http://www.nuclearnutrition.com/gfx/articles_header.gif

The Poor Man's Cycle
By Trevor Smith
I have to say that an inordinant number of the emails that come my way have a shared theme in common. They ususal all start off saying "Trevor, I want to get freaky and huge.....but I only have access to......" and so they ask how they can achieve their goals, believeing that it is necessary to have a bevy of drugs in the system with each cycle. Can I get big without G.H.? What if I can't get Anadrol? I can't keep insulin in my fridge cause I live at home and don't want my mom to see...etc...etc.
Hopefully when you are done reading this article you will come to the ultimate realization that those who K.I.S.S. always wind up achieving a hell of a lot more than those who don't. (I am assuming that everyone knows that K.I.S.S stands for keep it simple stupid) Contrary to popular belief, there is no magic bullet that exists that will seperate you from the rest of the pack. Actually I should rephrase that because there is and it is called attitude, but I was referring to drugs.
So here we are, on a limited budget and do not have many connections with the local scum-bag steroid dealers who are telling everyone that they have real parabolan and that is what will make you the next Dorian Yates. You are not really sure what is real and what is fake, but you need to get on a cycle. The question is what do you do. Certainly not 8 week cycles of Winstrol!
Now 9 times out of 10 you are going to be able to access a few of the basics and that is what you should go for. Every dealer on the planet is going to have some mexican veterinarian testosterone and veterinarian deca. These two are known as Testerona 200 and Norandren 200. Now I will be the first to say that both products are not the best available and are often underdosed. But beggers can't be chosers and each product contains what it is supposed to in terms of the actual compound. The rule of thumb with Mexican drugs is to take off 50mg per ml of dosage strength and work with that as your amount per ml. This would mean that each ml of Testerona 200 will more than likely yield around 150mg/ml and the same goes for the Norandren 200. Now the Testerona 200 sells for 15-20 dollars in mexico and the Norandren sells for around 65 dollars in mexico. With this in mind, one should not be paying more than 45-50 dollars for a 10ml vial of Testerona 200 and no more than 100-110 dollars for the Norandren 200 on the black market. Everyone can appreciate the risk that individuals take when supplying goodies to everyone, but there is a fine line between risk and greed.
So, you've managed to set aside $200 for your course and you are ready to go. For the $200 you should be able to get
Two 10ml vials of Testerona 200
1 10ml vial of the Norandren 200

But the question is what do you do with it. I mean what is the smartest way to insure maximum growth and minimum side effects? We are going to look at this question under the assumption that you cannot get or afford anything else. No arimidex, No Novladex, No Clomid. Because of these factors it is of the utmost importance that the length of the cycle be kept as short as possible. Remember, more than anything else, length of time dictates what side effects you will most likely incur, and since nobody is writing to me on how they can get a nice set of C-cups to sport around the gym in a cute little halter top, I am going to go out on a limb and say that everyone is looking to avoid Gyno at all costs. Now normally I don't like cycles longer than 8 weeks and shorter than 6, but in this case we will have to kind of make an exception. I say kind of, because there will be a 10-14 day period after the course has "ended" where there will still be stuff in the system. So without further discussion let's see what we got: 4mg per pound of bodyweight for the Testerona 200 each week.and 2.5mg per pound of bodyweight for the Norandren 200 each week should do the trick...so let's use the example of a 200lb bodybuilder then.
4 week cycle
week 1: Monday : 400mg of Testerona 200 and 250mg of Norandren 200
Friday: same
week 2:
Monday: same
Friday: same
week 3:
Monday: same
Friday: same
week 4:
Monday: same
Friday: same

Now after your last shot on Friday of week four, it will be necessary to take the next 5-6 weeks off. This is because the Test and the Deca will be in your system for 10-14 days after the last shot. Then you will need 3-4 weeks clean time after that before you would start another course. Gyno should not occur in a course like this under normal circumstances. Of course if you have pre-exisiting gyno or are Hyper sensitive to it, you are going to have to get your hands on a few tabs of Arimidex. One tab a week for each of the 4 weeks should do the trick. Water retention can be controlled with a good amount of Vitamin C each day (5 grams) along with an herbal diuretic. What is of the utmost importance with all courses and in particular with courses like this one, is that you pay extra attention to the ancillary details.
Sleep: YOU MUST GET 8 HOURS PER NIGHT
Nutrition: YOU MUST GET IN 2 GRAMS OF PROTEIN FOR EACH POUND OF BODYWEIGHT...EVEN MORE IF YOU ARE CARB SENSITIVE AND NEED TO KEEP CARBS TO 300 GRAMS OR LESS PER DAY. FAT SHOULD BE KEPT AT 30 GRAMS PER DAY. AS STATED ABOVE, CARBS SHOULD BE KEPT AT 300 GRAMS PER DAY IF YOU ARE CARB SENSITIVE, BUT IF YOU ARE NOT, YOU CAN TAKE IN 3 GRAMS OF CARBS PER POUND OF BODYWEIGHT.
Training: MUST BE BALLS TO THE WALL, ALL OUT AND CONSISTENT
This is all pretty much common sense, but since I get bombarded with the same questions over and over, I felt it would benefit a few people if I wrote an article like this. Remember if you have any questions regarding this or any other of the material on this site feel free to email me any time as I am here to help
[email protected]

[Matt Cena]

Trevor Smith Happy Birthday RIP 6-24-70 to 3-9-04
Trevor is gone but not forgotten, he would have been 40 today. Rest in Peace.

[DreamR]

Anyone know if the BFT video was ever released? I've been reading posts from other threads (from 2007) and people were talking about it and saying it will "eventually" be released. I guess they would have to have Trevor's wife's permission to do so. Jay Cutler supposedly has the footage.

I also heard conflicting stories that Trevor committed suicide although that seems hard to believe even with all the stress he was dealing with. Is there any evidence though that the heart attack or failure was the true cause?

[Bona fide]

R.I.P Trevor

...wow..this B.F.T. training sounds F'n NUTz!!!

[Bencher]

Matt, how is the progressive aspect approached with this training? Do you look for a particular number of reps on the 1st set before the forced reps. Like on leg extensions, once you can get say 12 reps with a particular weight, do you then raise the weight on the next workout?

[BFTfan]

Well all I can say is that the video will never be released. It blows I mean imagine watching this guy on video move the amount of weight he did. I did however manage to email Trevor's sister asking about the video. Heres the response. If anyone personally knows her pm me and I will give it to you she obviously doesn't want strangers emailing her but I mean its nothing personal just asked the video.

Brian,
I vaguely remember someone named Brian, who said he was a friend of my Brother, who spoke with my Family and I when my Brother Trevor passed away. I'm sorry, but after so many years, I'm having a difficult time remembering who you are. That being said, I will not discuss anything regarding Trevor, with anyone whom I'm not personally familiar with. My intention is not to be rude, it's just that I will not discuss such a personal matter with someone who simply emails me, and claims to have known my Brother Trevor. I hope you understand.
Tracy Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

[BFTfan]

^ Mods can you delete that message she doesn't want to be bothered sorry about the misunderstanding.

Thanks.