Can Any Pro Prep Without A Guru?

**John Romano** · 10-04-2015, 03:40 PM

I'm trying to think back and remember what Mr. Olympia first enlisted the services of a Guru. I know Dorian Yates had two different meetings with Dan Duchaine back in the day, but not a constant arrangement. After Dorian it was Ronnie who eventually used Hany and then Chad..... Aceto had Cutler, but then Cutler went to..... I can't remember..... Dexter had Joe McNeil.... Heath and Hany...... So, yeah, since Coleman then, all the Olympians have "required" a guru? The question is, do these guys look better today because of the gurus? And, does anyone think any Mr. O today can win without a guru?

Discuss......

**mac187** · 10-04-2015, 04:31 PM

the way the sport is covered has changed. back in the day of the print magazines people didnt know what was involved in getting into stage condition, they just looked at the pictures and said I wanna look like that guy.

now in the age of social media most the bodybuilders document their daily lives of eating, talking bs, eating, talking more bs, training and sleeping...because we get to see all this we are more involved in the whole prep of getting ready for a show so are more familiar with the gurus helping the athletes.

on top of that you have gurus who realise they can make some money from the publicity so they launch supplement lines and whacky training protocols. they no longer wanna stay in the shadows...they wanna scream my guy my guy...

having said that the original coaches/gurus such as aceto and chad are cut from a different cloth and seem to have more integrity

**RichDC2** · 10-04-2015, 05:14 PM

Probably not. Most guys are nutured into gurus as amateurs and wont know their bodies enough at that level.

Juan Morel is probably one of the only top pros without one and conditioning is not really and issue for him.

I think Wolf is on his own and DJ helps him a bit but I could be wrong

**Sandpig** · 10-04-2015, 05:17 PM

I don't see why anyone training as long as these guys have needs one

**swingslammer** · 10-04-2015, 05:20 PM

Way back in the day on the boards I asked King Tamale..." You have a Guru like Chad, A trainer like Charles Glass, A cook and coreographer doing your routines...do you ever wonder where they end and you begin? Do you wonder if you could do it without them?". He said that was a crap question and his career was ALL him.

Well he is still famous...but it ain't really for his stellar career.

**John Romano** · 10-04-2015, 05:34 PM

Originally Posted by swingslammer

Way back in the day on the boards I asked King Tamale..." You have a Guru like Chad, A trainer like Charles Glass, A cook and coreographer doing your routines...do you ever wonder where they end and you begin? Do you wonder if you could do it without them?". He said that was a crap question and his career was ALL him.

Well he is still famous...but it ain't really for his stellar career.

Yeah, it was all him.... like when he squats in a smith machine.... those five guys spotting him were an illusion

**warthog** · 10-04-2015, 05:39 PM

Or his "forced rep" deadlifts with the help of a spotter

**Sunnyday** · 10-04-2015, 07:08 PM

Great thread topic!

Agree that at their level they shouldn't NEED a coach. I believe many of today's pros would look the same or possibly better if they did their own thing. Is it that they feel the need to blame someone else when they DON'T come in razor sharp?
Then again, maybe the ones who decide to work with a coach might do so because there are so many voices giving them advice that it's easier to block them out, listen to just ONE voice, and say to the others, "I'm working with Guru #1."

**warthog** · 10-04-2015, 07:30 PM

Originally Posted by Sunnyday

Great thread topic!

Agree that at their level they shouldn't NEED a coach. I believe many of today's pros would look the same or possibly better if they did their own thing. Is it that they feel the need to blame someone else when they DON'T come in razor sharp?
Then again, maybe the ones who decide to work with a coach might do so because there are so many voices giving them advice that it's easier to block them out, listen to just ONE voice, and say to the others, "I'm working with Guru #1."

The more you foods, drugs , peptides and supps have in your protocols the less likely you are to understand all the different actions , interactions, possible interactions and how to counteract them. As a chem you know , 90% of them wouldnt have a clue?Nothing is as straightforward as it used to be.

Probably not. Most guys are nutured into gurus as amateurs and wont know their bodies enough at that level.Juan Morel is probably one of the only top pros without one and conditioning is not really and issue for him.
I think Wolf is on his own and DJ helps him a bit but I could be wrong

Im willing to bet Juan does get some input from someone in the know.

**asteelz93** · 10-04-2015, 07:53 PM

The coach in my opinion is there to ground the athlete.. Many bodybuilder are their own worst enemy. Constantly second guessing their actions and forming baseless hypothesis as to why what and how things should go during their different phases of training. The coach keeps their program grounded, helps to mitigate unnecessary changes, and assist in providing new methods.. Or in some cases revisiting old methods that once brought great change to the athletes physique.

**Timbo89** · 10-04-2015, 08:04 PM

Isn't juan working with dave? Lol. If not he did for a while. He also worked with fakhri for a very short period of time.

Originally Posted by RichDC2

Probably not. Most guys are nutured into gurus as amateurs and wont know their bodies enough at that level.

Juan Morel is probably one of the only top pros without one and conditioning is not really and issue for him.

I think Wolf is on his own and DJ helps him a bit but I could be wrong

**Timbo89** · 10-04-2015, 08:06 PM

Also, I could be wrong but I think Jay was working on his own in '06 when he won the olympia.

**Chris Aceto** · 10-04-2015, 08:30 PM

Originally Posted by Timbo89

Also, I could be wrong but I think Jay was working on his own in '06 when he won the olympia.

you are wrong. And, although Nyquil Shawn Ray says " we didn't have gurus" they are tremendously helpful. I would take this to iron debate and demolish the person who thinks " well all they due is tell these guys what to take"

**Timbo89** · 10-04-2015, 10:46 PM

Originally Posted by Chris Aceto

you are wrong. And, although Nyquil Shawn Ray says " we didn't have gurus" they are tremendously helpful. I would take this to iron debate and demolish the person who thinks " well all they due is tell these guys what to take"

then I'm wrong haha. Was it 08 when he worked alone and lost?