Fatherhood doesn't slow Mr. Universe Ahmad Haidar down.

Learn how he keeps training and nutrition in check and still has time for his family.

5 Questions With Mr. UniverseAhmad Haidar

[ Q ] What year did you turn Pro and besides competing how do you earn a living?

A: I turned pro in 1997 by winning the world championship light/heavyweight and overall, now I have SAN nutrition as my sponsor, it is a great company; they have the best supplement nutrition.

[ Q ] You are known for having the Best Abs in the business, do you do anything special? If not how do explain your Ab development?

A: I like doing abs a lot because I enjoy it; I train my abs 3 or 4 times a week doing lots of crunches and legs raises with weight and high reps.

[ Q ] Do you think the industry is changing to physiques like yours (smaller, proportionate and symmetrical?)

A: I have been hearing things like that for a long time, but it looks like they still want to pick the big guys.

[ Q ] Being a father, has it changed your daily routine and can you explain a "Day in your Life?"

A: Being a father is the greatest thing to happen to me. It is wonderful to see your child growing every day and following them step by step. My day starts at 7am - I wake up have 2 capsules of Tight, take my girl Leah to school then to the GYM to do my cardio and Abs workout.

I come back home drink the Infusion shake then play with my son Ali - he is almost 7 months. Then my wife Magey prepares my food for the rest of the day. I take them and go to the Powerhouse GYM in west Palm Beach to train some people and myself and come back home at 8pm.

[ Q ] What is your strength against bigger guys and what do you need to work on most to improve?

A: My strength is that I have a good symmetry and always come to a show in great condition, I been working on my back and my arms - my back and arms are getting better.

Shawn Ray

Love him or hate him, Lee Priest always tries to tell it the way it is...

After his shock withdrawal from this years Mr. Olympia, the man many call the Blond Myth, Lee Priest, says he is far from hanging up his trunks. With the 2006 Arnold Classic looming large, Lee feels a spot in the top five will help to secure him notoriety as one of the most consistent, and well respected, professional bodybuilders of all time, though his more modest side would be happy with any kind of acknowledgement.

Indeed, it is Lee's self effacing view of himself in the grand scheme of things that has helped secure him the unofficial title of "People's Champion". Lee's many fans would love to see him triumph at the Arnold this time around, as they feel he has many of the qualities - physical and otherwise - that make a worthy spokesperson for a sport that is often in the press for all the wrong reasons.

Love him or hate him, as a bodybuilder Lee Priest always tries to tell it the way it is, and is not afraid to voice his opinion to assist any cause he feels is in need of support.

Lee's perspective on competitive bodybuilding is refreshing in that he feels winning a show is in the hands of the judges, and he will be the first to congratulate anyone who beats him.

Bitching and backstabbing are not his strong points. Physically, Lee is one bodybuilder who commands respect. Rather than an assemblage of assorted freaky body-parts (indeed, his critics would say this of him), Lee's physique fits the new IFBB criteria for symmetry and proportion as much as it impresses with freaky size.

Arms, legs and shoulders any bodybuilder on the planet would be proud of coupled with a small waist and tiny joints lends a much sought after combination of mass with class. His other body parts flow nicely into this package, providing for the judges, and the fans, anxiety and motivation respectively.

A role model in more ways than one, Lee has shown that there is more to life than bodybuilding, and that two careers can be balanced with neither overpowering the other. As well as bodybuilding, Lee, with the backing of companies such as Bodybuilding.com, Twinlab and Muscular Development, has managed to successfully compete in drag car racing, this year winning Rookie of the Year and placing third in his first major championship.
Next year, Lee is making the progression to Jet Cars. He feels these faster vehicles will add to his increasingly expanding repertoire of racing skills, and make him a more complete racer - similar goals to the ones he has as a bodybuilder. Good placing's at the 2006 Arnold Classic and on the track will surely keep Lee busy next year.

Plying his trade at the Arnold is something Lee has done on five occasions, gradually placing higher as his physique has matured and improved (from seventh and ninth placing's in 1994 and 1995 respectively, to fourth place this year).

A high placement in 2006 would be a fitting, and justified, reward for a man who consistently brings to the stage an impressively packaged, well-conditioned, physique.

In fact, when Lee is on, few people can match him pound for pound, as exemplified by his win against the amazing Chris Cormier in Australia earlier this year. Watch for Lee Priest on stage and on the track in 2006.

David Robson