BLAST FROM THE P

AST

Shawn Rhoden Brin

gs Back The Classic

Physique

BLAST FROM THE P

AST

Shawn Rhoden Brin

gs Back The Classic

Physique

LINED UP TO THE COREEx-NFLer Mandarich Goes On The Offense

MIND-MUSCLECONNECTION

It Works - Think About It

CONTENTS

EDITORS LETTER

PUBLISHER/FOUNDINGEDITORJoe Pietaro

ART DIRECTORLauraBeth Dintrone

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSSamir Bannout

Sandra Blackie

John Defendis

Bill Grant

Jessie Godderz

Brenda Kelly

Kevin Levrone

Tony Mandarich

Ally Moyer

Layne Norton

Heather Policky (Armburst)

Randy Roach

Robby Robinson

Bill Romanowski

Dan Severn

Darren Sorensen

Michael Kaycheck

Heather Leff

Jared Silberkleit

The Mayor of Bodybuilding

WEBMASTERJoe McDonald

CONTRIBUTINGPHOTOGRAPHERS

William J. Hauser

Andrzej Jaworski

Anil Melwani

Bill Menzel

DIRECTOR OFP.R./MARKETING

Rosetta Mortati

WINTER 2013VOLUME 5 ISSUE 1

MuscleSport Magazine is publishedfour times per year by MuscleSport, LLC.

For more information contact us atjoe@musclesportmag.com

or 631.948.5381

Joe PietaroFounding Editor

Joe Pietaro is a regular contributor to FLEX magazine and has been published in a number of publications including Muscle & Fitness, Fitness RX for Men, Fitness and Physique, The New Jersey Daily Record, Inside Pitch, Gotham Baseball and New York Sportscene (which he

served as Editor-in-Chief).

B O D Y B U I L D I N GP R O S P O R T S

F I T N E S S

WINTER 2013FEATURES10 CHANGING OF THE GUARD BY JOE PIETARO14 NATIONAL PRIDE BY JOE PIETARO20 OFFENSIVE LINE & CORE TRAINING BY TONY MANDARICH24 THE ART OF BODYBUILDING BY SAMIR BANNOUT

A one-shot deal it was not. If anyone had any doubts that we were going to put out just one print issue and make it last, you were sadly mistaken. This quarterly publication is here to stay and will continue to be presented in both the print and online versions.As we usher in a new calendar year,

MuscleSport, LLC is boiling over with the possibilities that come with it. Now that we are in our fifth year of existence, it feels as if that first threshold has been crossed. We are not just another new kid on the block anymore and have passed the first test of time that all businesses must endure. We have once again brought you a loaded

line-up in this issue with more articles penned by the likes of Heather Armbrust and Tony Mandarich. Plus, 1983 Mr. Olympia Samir Bannout presents a feature for us on the lost art of posing. Shawn Rhoden graces the cover of our

latest issue and deservedly so. Flexatron had a banner 2012 and has brought back the aesthetic, pleasing physique that is so popular amongst many of the fans, especially the old school ones such as myself. We take a look at the year that was and the body types that placed high, accentuating the fact that there is certainly a place of the Rhodens of the world.

DEPARTMENTS06 IN THE MEANTIME BY HEATHER POLICKY-ARMBRUST07 SPORTS DESK BY JARED SILBERKLEIT28 TRAIN STATION BY JOE PIETARO

I t s

Its Always

SPORTS DESKIts Always Miserable

in PhiladelphiaBy Jared Silberkleit

Photos by William J. Hauser

The second season of the Philadelphia Eagles Dream Team is on track for the same final destination as the first. After Week 11 of the 2012 NFL season, the Eagles sit at 3-7, entrenched in last place in the NFC East and three games out in the Wild Card and Divisional races. After quarterback Michael Vick proclaimed before the season began that the Eagles were beginning a dynasty, the team is once again not winning football games despite their loaded roster on paper. Also, Vick himself has suffered yet another injury after a very unproductive first half of the season, and head coach Andy Reid looks to be on his way out of Philadelphia should the Eagles remain on course for another season of no playoffs.

Its time for the Eagles to move on from both Vick and Reid if they want to return to competitiveness in the coming years. Vick is clearly past his prime and continues to prove that he simply cannot commandeer an NFL offense in 2012. Hes an inaccurate passer and a turnover machine. Not much is known about Nick Foles at this point, but with Vicks injury, its time to see what the kid can bring to the table. Hes young and he isnt Vick.

Thats a start. If he truly cant lead the team, then the Eagles need to look for another young quarterback who is up to the task. After just one year of no Peyton Manning, the Colts went in a completely new direction with Andrew Luck, and just look at the instant success that it brought them.

Reid has guided some very potent Eagles teams during his tenure as head coach, but these days the man appears burned out and out of touch. Offensively, the Eagles have tons of weapons and should be puzzling defenses week in and week out. But as of this writing, this team has only topped 20 points three times this entire season and has yet to reach 30 in a game. It comes down to the coaching. The Eagles have a true gem in

running back LeSean McCoy, and he absolutely should be the forefront of this offense. A greater commitment

to the run would also bring more success for Vick

if they were to stick with him at quarterback.

Vick is simply not meant to throw the ball 30-40 times a game; he isnt much of a passer

now and never has been (check his career numbers). Focusing more

on the ground attack would open things up down the field

while also reducing Vicks pass attempts per game. Although it is hard to devise

successful game plans with a Swiss cheese offensive line, Reid has done a terrible job this season.

The second consecutive year of failure for the Dream Team proves that you just cant play fantasy football with NFL rosters. Successful franchises have great team chemistry, with players that know how to play with one another and function as a single unit. See the Giants, Patriots, Texans and 49ers of recent years for examples. Time and time again, teams have shown success by drafting wisely, getting young talent, and growing them within their own systems. The Eagles ought to keep this in mind going forward as they face another off season full of questions.

For some of you that have made a pretty good showing and proven yourselves with high placings, you might be aware of the bandwagon jumpers and clingers. These people are your best buddies as long as you are rockin and on top of your game.

People do what works, meaning there is some sort of payoff for the behavior that is being used. As sick as it may seem, even just the ego trip of saying they know you can be a payoff to many people. Now with social media, people love being seen with certain people. Always nice to earn some coolness points. And Im not saying its a bad thing, just to be careful. Using unhealthy behaviors to payoff the ego is something we all have been guilty of at least once, right?

As soon as a payoff is gone, people scatter. They will disengage. It is said that a true friend is the one walking in while everyone else is walking out. I couldnt agree more. Im pretty sure that most people in our sport have gone through some tough times.

As unfortunate as it is, shit does

happen. Weve all experienced the people that walk out. When I was going

through it, I was angry and full of

hate. I had no

understanding cause the pain of it was blinding.

I dont believe that time can always heal all, but I do think that time can give wisdom and understanding to move forward. Patience with people can be quite the gift if you can discipline yourself to practice it. I look at the people in my life very differently than I did two years ago. I have an understanding. I have empathy. I practice putting myself in their shoes and how I may have handled the situation. Most of them are no longer around, but Im not mad, either. That is their right no matter how I may feel about it. I cannot change them or their choices but I can change how I react to them.

There are situations that I do think its just inexcusable to not be a friend, but we all have that opinion. We all have our own path to walk and own lessons to learn along the way. Being competitors, most of us have a whole lot of ups and downs. Whether its an off show, difficult diet, injury, break up, family death...the list can go on. And we all have the individual right to handle it differently and so do our friends.

Up until a couple of years ago, if someone crossed me or hurt me, I was just done - no forgiving involved. I was almost proud of the fact that I didnt forgive people. That may have had a little bit of ego going on there. As if they didnt deserve it. I had no idea that the only person I was hurting was myself. You cant carry around that pain and anger because it will only eat at you and poison you. NOT FORGIVING CAN TURN YOU INTO EXACTLY WHAT YOU HATE.

I recall a local fitness pro that I had a beef with when I moved back to Denver in 2001. She was older and thought she was pretty great. She had a way of making it obvious that she didnt think much of me and I was furious. For years, I held on to how much I hated her. Venom would ooze whenever I heard her name or saw her. Years went by and she mellowed and so did I. One day I

just let it go. I felt a million times better! I took shitty feelings away by just making a choice to. Now I like her very much. We both grew up a bit.

With all the egos in this industry, how many times have you or have you heard someone bashing on someone for something STUPID? They talk too much, or their suits are always the same color, or hes too cocky. Let it go. I can promise you that it is not truly making you happy. You are poisoning yourself and the people around you. People like that are ones to beware of placing yourself around. Those people are usually the not so great friends in the long run, so be aware and choose wisely. They are poisoning the positive atmosphere that others are happy to bring.

In such a physically enamored sport please be kind, mindful, compassionate, and empathetic to your peers. You never know when YOU may need the return favor.

IN THE MEANTIME

I want to take a minute and look at our relationships with the people in our lives. In the fitness industry, we all know someone - or two - that we could probably do without because they arent what you may consider a good person. There are plenty of people that our out for themselves all around us. Picking and choosing friends can be costly if its not done wisely.

Heather was first introduced to bodybuilding in the 6th grade after meeting a female bodybuilder that changed her life forever. She began competing in 1999, winning shows locally and then went on to compete nationally in 2002, eventually earning her pro card in 2006. Heather took the stage by storm her inaugural year, winning FLEXs Rookie of the year and her first pro show, a 3rd place finish at the Arnold Classic and 5th at her first Ms. Olympia. In 2009, bodybuilding.com named her bodybuilder of the Year. Heather has worked as a trainer and consultant since 2001 and co-owned Armbrust Pro Gym in Denver. After taking a break in 2010 and deciding to retire, Heathers decision didnt last long. Now she is planning to be back on stage in 2013 and finally land her Olympia title. In the meantime, she has started her blog called exactly that, In the Meantime, which talks about everything from bodybuilding, to relationships and love, to addiction. http://heathermariepolicky.blogspot.com/ You can also follow her on Twitter @HeatherMPolicky or Facebook Heather Marie Policky

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QUALITY RELATIONSHIPSIN BODYBUILDING

My name is Jared Silberkleit and I am from Orange, CT. I am a huge pro wrestling fan and follow all kinds of promotions such as WWE, TNA, ROH, PWG, CHIKARA, Dragon Gate USA, and anything else I might come across. I am a huge supporter of independent wrestling and I feel that it provides a true alternative to the mainstream promotions and also showcases a lot of innovation and hard work. Aside from wrestling I am also a really big fan of football, baseball, hockey, and MMA. I have also written for www.sportsgrumblings.com for over two years.

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2012 FLEX Pro (February 18, 2012)

1 Lionel Beyeke2 Ben Pakulski3 Fouad Abiad4 Shawn Rhoden5 Eduardo Da Silva Correa6 Grigori Atoyan

The first pro show of the year had a lot of promise, but it was apparent that most of the competitors were not at their best including winner Lionel Beyeke, who looked good but did not have peak conditioning. The Frenchman possesses a wide physique that is complimented with a very pleasing v-taper, giving him a combination of aesthetics and size.

2012 Arnold Classic (March 2, 2012)

1 Branch Warren2 Dennis Wolf3 Evan Centopani4 Ben Pakulski5 Dexter Jackson6 Lionel Beyeke

The epitome of mass is Branch Warren and he was able to return from a quad injury to win his second consecutive AC. Even the next two placings (Wolf, Centopani) fit into more of the stocky category.

2012 New York Pro (May 19, 2012)

1 Cedric McMillan2 Johnnie Jackson3 Steve Kuclo4 Juan Morel5 Jon DeLarosa6 Vaughn Ettienne

Both Cedric McMillan (1st) and Juan Morel (4th) have similar physiques, with excellent size, proportion and a tiny waist. But in between them were two competitors that rely on size as their strongest attribute.

CHANGINGOF THEGUARDSlimmed Down Physiques Being Rewarded in BodybuildingStory and Photos By Joe Pietaro

2012 Europa Battle of Champions (June 30, 2012)

1- Juan Morel2- Mohammad Ai Bannout3- Essa Obiad4- Fred Smalls5- Renaldo Gairy6- Jamal Ahmed Elmadaway

Morel earned his first win as a pro in Hartford, Connecticut and brought an even more impressive look than he did in his home town of the Big Apple a few weeks earlier.

2012 PBW Tampa Pro (August 11, 2012)

1 Shawn Rhoden2 Toney Freeman3 Hidetada Yamagishi4 Roelly Winklaar5 Lee Banks6 Brandon Curry

Coming in looking much improved from his eighth place finish at the Arnold, Shawn Rhoden took home the winners check for the first time as a pro and did so in spectacular fashion. His tiny waist and full muscle bellies conjured up comparisons to the great Flex Wheeler, who is considered the uncrowned Mr. Olympia.

Bigger isnt always better and fans of the Iron Game are beginning to see a slight change in that trend. Go as

far back as the Dorian Yates era and mass has reigned superior in the IFBB bodybuilding scene for over two decades now.

But we may be witnessing a change albeit a subtle one that may continue in 2013 and be a factor in the contest landscape for years to come.

Shawn Rhoden

Lets take a look at the top six results in a number of shows from the past year and decipher exactly what occurred as far as this theory goes:

Cedric Mcm

illan

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2012 Europa SuperShow (August 18, 2012)

1 Shawn Rhoden2 Hidetada Yamagishi3 Toney Freeman4 Roelly Winklaar5 Ed Nunn6 Todd Jewell

Flexatron won his second consecutive contest and was able to maintain the same top conditioning in Dallas that he displayed a week earlier in the Sunshine State. The runner-up, Hidetada Yamagishi, packs on plenty of muscle but is spoken of as a more streamlined bodybuilder because of his short stature. The rest of the top six rely on mass for their success on the stage.

2012 Mr. Olympia (September 29, 2012)

1 Phil Heath2 Kai Greene3 Shawn Rhoden4 Dexter Jackson5 Branch Warren6 Dennis Wolf

A very interesting finish, indeed, as far as the balance of power goes. Phil Heath would certainly never be considered to have a smaller physique, but he is so well proportioned and possesses a slim waistline that he brings the best of both worlds to the sport. The Gift won his second straight Sandow and may very well go on a long run. Kai Greene is huge and has such a wide back that it keeps him from looking too blocky. But then things got real interesting in Las Vegas. Rhoden deservedly took third place over some wily veterans and Dexter Jackson (the 2008 Mr. Olympia winner and one with an excellent physique) placed fourth. It says a lot that Warren (5th) and Wolf (6th) placed lower.

2012 British Grand Prix (October 21, 2012)

1 Shawn Rhoden2 Johnnie Jackson3 Toney Freeman4 Robert Piotrkowicz5 Ronny Rockel6 Roelly Winklaar

By rewarding Rhoden once again in a very competitive line-up shows that coming in bigger than everyone else is not the right strategy for walking out of the arena richer than everyone else.

Lionel Beyeke

In the bantamweight division, Shaun Clarida stood tall and, pound-for-pound, may have been the most peeled bodybuilder up there. At 52 and 130 pounds, the man known as the Giant Killer was shredded and did quite well for himself in the final pose down.

I started competing in 2005, said Clarida, and I got into bodybuilding because I needed to gain weight for wrestling. I started training and dieting and someone kind of persuaded me into a show. From there it kind of ricocheted on and never stopped.

Of course it wouldnt have been as hot as it was without a bevy of beautiful women and the lovely ladies - from bodybuilding, physique, figure and bikini were well represented.

Unfortunately, the three days went by way too fast and it was back to the north east and its cool fall weather.

It was apparent from the prejudging round that this was going to end with Yersky hoisting the big trophy.

Hot-Lanta Was Ablaze With the NPC NationalsPrideNational

P ulling up to JFK International Airport on a cold wintry-looking early morning, the awaiting vessel in full view was a quick reminder of the flight south and the warmth that Atlanta was ready to provide. Anything after Hurricane Sandy and the snowstorm that served as an encore would be an improvement weather-wise, especially with the impending Georgia sun and temperatures hovering around 70 degrees down south.

But there would be no time for fun and games because this trip was anything but a vacation. When youre a player in the bodybuilding publishing industry, shows such as the NPC Nationals leave little time for leisure due to the seemingly endless throngs of competitors taking the stage over a two-day period to determine who would walk out with a highly sought after IFBB pro card.

A total of 912 bodies walked through the wings and did their best for themselves, the judges and fans, with the top two in each class earning the aforementioned pro card. In mens bodybuilding, Brian Yersky improved on his third place finish a year ago to not only take the super heavyweight class, but the overall, as well.

The Ohio native was the favorite heading in and certainly didnt disappoint. The highly-respected guru Chad Nichols has been working with Yersky and it was apparent from the pre-judging round that this was going to end with the 510, 250-pounder hoisting the big trophy.

Story and Photos By Joe Pietaro

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NPC Bikini Athletes Michelle Barnes and Tara HarrisonPhoto by Andrzej Jaworski, AJ Jawa Photo :: www.ajjawa.com

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much rather go to the gym with a pre-workout drink full of caffeine and nitrous oxide and blow up my arms, chest, shoulders, traps or legs. I dont drink it and think to myself,

I am going to kill this core workout today.

I actually hate doing core. Yet, foundationally, it is the most important for all the other limbs to succeed - as an offensive line

is to a quarterback, receivers and running backs.

I would much rather play wide receiver and catch passes. Id much rather play running back and rush for 100 yards. Id much rather be a quarterback and throw for 500

yards and four touchdowns than to be an offensive lineman and get recognized only when they call my name for holding. Been there, done that!

But the non-glamorous offensive

As in weightlifting, powerlifting or bodybuilding, we all know that you have to have a strong foundation. Its a no-brainer in football. It doesnt matter if youre at the high school, college or pro level,

the foundation of any football team is the offensive line.

This is what successful football teams are built on! Think of the offensive line as the core of the body - you have your quarterback that runs the offense, which is your head. You have your wide receivers catching the ball, which are the biceps, triceps and forearms. You can have your running backs rushing with the football, which are the quads, hamstrings and calves. But without the core, being the offensive

line in this case, none of them can function.

So why is it that in the gym, the core gets the least amount of attention and respect? Why is it on the football field the offense line gets the least amount of attention and respect?

Its probably due to the fact that they fall into a category of being not very glamorous. I, myself, am guilty of the weakest part of my body being my core. I would

The offensive line and core training bo

th fall into a

category of not being very glamorous.

WHAT DOES AN

OFFENSIVE LINE and CORE TRAI

NING

Have in Common? NO RESPECT!

BY TONY MANDARICH

PHOTOS BY WILLIAM J. HAUSER

20

line and the non-glamorous core are crucial and vital for all the other aspects to be successful.

So for the past 12 months, Ive been doing some cross training to concentrate on building my core strength. The results have been shocking and absolutely phenomenal. All of my other exercises from shoulder press, alternate dumbbell curl, dumbbell flies and basic triceps pushdowns have all gone up in strength. A lot of the exercises I used to watch these women and men do at the gym I thought were easy and for the meek.

Until I tried them, and they were unbelievably difficult!

They were doing functional training and building their core. Little did I know that what they were doing was actually harder than what I was doing. It was a lesson learned to not judge a book by its cover.

So the next time you watching NFL football, a NCAA college football game or even your local high school football game, watch the offensive line and know that they are the core and the heartbeat of how successful the offense executes.

TONY MANDARICH was born in Oakville, Ontario, Canada, the son of Croatian immigrants. Tony grew up with a love for football, and decided early in his life that he would play professionally. After a highly successful and nationally publicized collegiate career at Michigan State University, Tony was drafted number two overall in 1989 by the Green Bay Packers. The hype about being the best offensive line prospect ever, along with Tonys addictions was more than he could live up to and his life came crashing down around him. After three more years of alcohol and painkiller abuse, Tony accepted the hand of God, went into treatment and now considers it a privilege to be able to help other addicts and alcoholics when called upon. Tony and his wife, Charlavan, have four children; they own and operate an Internet Marketing company (www.mandarich.com) in Scottsdale, Arizona, a full-service web media business specializing in web site development and optimization, video production, photography and Internet marketing. tonymandarich.com/about-tony-mandarich/

Check us out at: www.tmicheal.com

was a lot harder than what I was doing.Little did I know that core training

As we drove through the streets of Beirut, there was an area in which there was a butcher shop that loved bodybuilding. The butcher had all kind of pictures posted on his front window, and every time we drove by that spot I used to jump up and turn my head to the left and my head kept tilting until my father would say, Whats wrong with you and why these reactions every morning in the same area? Well, my friends, the fact is, there was a picture of the amazing Frank Zane there. I believed that it was removed from the pages of Muscle Builder Power Magazine at the time (Muscle and Fitness now), having Frank hitting his most famous pose, the over head double arms with the wrist turned outwards with vascular arms and lat muscle. Wow! That picture of Frank was out of this world yes, that was the beginning of Samir Bannout and the passion for bodybuilding had already begun.

Life is about trial and error. I believe that making a few mistakes is not bad at all as long as you dont repeat them over and over again. Nobody did it completely without mistakes - NOT even Arnold and Zane. I feel good about myself every time I learn something new, and boy there is so much to learn! Before starting anything else, if you want

to be a great bodybuilder, you must have one thing in mind - youve got make sure to apply the ART PART with it! What I mean by this is: the 20-inch arms and 55-inch chest are meaningless if you dont know how to present them! You must forget about being a bulldozer when your physique is only a Corvettes type capacity. Just dont force mass and neglect the class - balance and harmony that will make your physique look awesome. I started

by studying pictures of the greats, from John Grimek, Bill Pearl, Reg Park and, yes, Frank Zane, the man that impressed me the most with his elegant style. I could see all his poses flow correctly, the same with Arnold. I checked and studied his pictures. He kind of limited himself to the poses that made him look perfect, AND HE DID!

I recall checking Arnold and Frank Zanes poses and trying to imitate them. What I found out was that my physique is actually a mix between the two of them. I

could do the side chest of Arnold and his three quarter back shot, the famous one (NO one else could do it right beside him but I would say I came close LOL). Zane had his backs special poses where Arnold could NOT do, but I could! On the other hand I killed myself trying to do Franks famous vacuum pose and I failed miserably. So there you have it, do what works for you and do not copy Zane if you cant really look like him and so on. Did you ever see Arnold hit a side triceps pose? Yes his arms were BIG beyond your imagination but lets hit the side tri well its a piece of cake for Frank! Thats what Im talking about. Zane /Pearl /Arnold/ Parkthey were all unique in their own way! They really are masters in their styles.

Nowadays the sport of bodybuilding has taken a huge turn in a backward direction on the mass without class physique. Yes I mean that. I dont want to name anyone in particular, but lets just say the majority of champions have not been that impressive if NOT a failure in terms of presentation

and why is that? Did you ever see these guys standing in the line-up with their arms opened up trying to make themselves looks bigger? Yet without realizing that they where actually doing the opposite!

There is NO need to over do it. The IFBB should do something about it. What happened to the teachings of Frank, Arnold and Pearl? Where is the Beauty & Michelangelo type of physique? Where the hell are we going, guys? Would you please wake up and have a reality check!

My View onThe Art ofBodybuildingBy Samir Bannout, Mr. Olympia 1983

It was during 1971, sometime during my summer vacation from school. I used to accompany my dad to his work as a salesman for an American Company called Am-levco just for the good ride and to enjoy the scenery of the Lebanese countryside. Lebanon, as I remember it, is one the most beautiful places on earth. And yes, after traveling the world time and time again, this statement remains true!

Andrzej Jaw

orski, Courtesy of S

amir B

annout

The 20-inch arms and 55-inch chest are meaningless

if you do not know how to present them.

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Never mind what you have won; I dont care what titles you have. If you weigh 300 + lbs ripped or NOT. To me it does not mean anything if you cannot show that body with elegance and grace. Youll be labeled as poor poser for the rest of you life!

My advice to you is to contact those guys that could help you. Yes, do pay them well if you can. If you cant, just find a way to improve in that area by practicing the way I did for years. I heard that one champion was offered help by Frank Zane himself and he did not think that was important. Ha! When I heard that, I could NOT believe it! This crazy guy has just wasted a golden opportunity by not acting on this great and incredible offer. I want to call this guy a BIG FOOL. I sure hope hell read this one day. I recall Lee Labrada, who was one of the most intelligent bodybuilders and cashed in on Zanes help in that department. He drove all the way to Palm Springs to work with Zane, and in my opinion it did serve him very well. For sure he made an incredible transformation, started to act more like Zane and became a giant killer.

I have made many mistakes before and I do advise you sincerely to look at the quality and stage performance if you want to be remembered as great body building champion.

Bodybuilding is an art, a performing art. Making your body speak on stage, I would compare

it to a painter such as Monet or sculptor like Michelangelo. You should check your painting/ sculpture, as they did when they created masterpieces. Every detail is reviewed until perfect. Bodybuilding is not just about lifting weights. It is about putting all the pieces to the puzzle. Mastery of peaking is critical. Tanning and posing are very important, as well.

I am not easily satisfied. Every time I attend a bodybuilding contest, I see MAJOR elements that are missing in bodybuilders. The 2010 Arnold Classic, it just so happened that I was sitting with The Prince Al Thani and Jon Jon Park - two individuals that think in the same manner that I do. We observed some of the champions on stage in perfect condition, yet they had horrible stage presence. The winner of the show, Kai Greene did have a great presentation and looked fantastic. However, I would not agree 100% with the Governor that his posing was the greatest ever. Kais posing routine, in my opinion, was good. Crowd pleasing and entertaining, but nevertheless, it does not contain the mastery of Zane and Arnold. His performance, dancing-wise, I would agree with Arnold! But From my perspective, those little twists, proper angles, turns and transition bodybuilders such as Zane, and Makkaway are still lost in action! But Greenes future is definitely on the bright side and with a little help from my friends, I

believe he can be in the top ranks of the great posers some day.

I would like to see current competitors pay more attention to aesthetic and presentationthere is no limit for improvements in this field remember, its a performing art.

To reach go to: www.samirbannout.com

orwww.bannoutnutrition.com

T h i n k B i gIt defies logic, there is no clear cut scientific proof to support it, yet any bodybuilder worth his sweat will swear by it. You cant will your muscles to grow, but utilizing the mind-muscle connection has helped countless gym rats through many a workout and gave them that extra push to become victorious on the stage.

To the beginner, it sounds as if it is some kind of practical joke being played on him or her and the rest of the gym is laughing behind their backs. But it is the ones that utilize mind-muscle control who have the last laugh.

Just what exactly is this secret formula? Merely a simple way to concentrate on each and every repetition and perform them in a slow and controlled manner.

The biggest mistakes that people make when they begin a workout routine are using too much weight and improper form. Doing that will get you nowhere and it is more common than not.

But by taking a small step back, one can eventually take a number of steps forward.

Grab a weight that you can handle for a legitimate set of 12 to 15 reps. Then take each one slow and concentrate on the muscle contraction, all the while watching in the mirror to ensue that proper form is maintained. Think about what you are doing; picture what is going on inside your body and feel it at the same time.

Squeezing the muscle for each rep and using a full range of motion will make the blood flow where you want it to and that will result in an awesome pump. But if you cannot keep it slow for a full set, then drop the weight a few pounds.

If you do it right, youll be a believer after one good workout.

How the Mind-Muscle Connection Relates To

BodybuildingBy Joe Pietaro

T h i n K B i g

TRAIN STATION

Carlo P

uzzilli

picture what is going on inside your

body and feel it

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