Bodybuilding Arena By Sean Toh

Cutler Makes History

2009-10-03T10:48:00.009+08:00

The Story of Mr. Olympia!

He wanted this one - bad। Last year, when Jay Cutler lost the Sandow to Dexter Jackson, it seemed that the rumors of his inability to dial it in for the big show - Cutler barely eked out a victory over Victor Martinez in 2007 - might be true after all। Twice now, he had failed to peak on the one night when a champion is expected to bring no less than his best. Increasing the odds of Cutler never regaining the top spot was the long list of former Mr. Olympia's who lost the Sandow and failed to win it back. Until now.

Maybe it took losing what he already to push Cutler even further than even he thought possible, because on Saturday, September 26 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, Cutler beat the odds - again - to become Joe Weider's 2009 Mr। Olympia, the first man in the history of the sport to reclaim the title.

Big, hard and dry with the sickest front quads in the show, Cutler brought his best physique since winning the Olympia in 2006 (maybe even surpassing his 2001 Olympia form, where he finished runner-up to Ronnie Coleman) with superior size and crisp detail from every angle। They say shows are won from the back and it was certainly the case here as he sported striated glutes and a tight lower back, that, coupled with his width and thickness, shut the lights on the competition. Now tying Sergio Oliva and Frank Zane as a three-time Mr. Olympia, Cutler has succeeded where so many others have failed.

The biggest surprise of the show was fan favorite Branch Warren in second। Warren was bigger than ever with the same level of grainy hardness he displayed earlier in the year at the Arnold Classic.

Third place went to Jackson, who's supreme condition, perfect symmetry, shape and proportion, was not enough to put him in the company of two-time Mr। Olympia's Larry Scott, Franco Columbu and Cutler.

Kai Greene, who improved the longer he stayed onstage at last night's prejudging, finished fourth in his Olympia debut। If he can continue to make improvements and show up with this customary detail and striations, there's no place to go but up.

In fifth place, in what must surely have been a disappointment, was "The Gift," Phil Heath। Heath, who suffered a stomach virus hours before Friday night's prejudging (at one point, EMT's were called in) dropped about eight pounds before taking the stage last night, but managed to show up much fuller and tighter for the finals tonight. Despite this minor speed bump, the promise in this young athlete remains limitless and there's no question that he will fulfill his potential.

Sixth place went to Victor Martinez and spots seven through ten in the deepest Mr। Olympia lineup ever went to Ronny Rockel, Toney Freeman, Hidetada Yamagishi and Moe El Moussawi, respectivel।

Click Here For Picture Gallery!

FINAL RESULTS

1. Jay Cutler
2. Branch Warren
3. Dexter Jackson
4. Kai Greene
5. Phil Heath
6. Victor Martinez
7. Ronny Rockel
8. Toney Freeman
9. Hidetada Yamagishi
10. Moe El Moussawi
11. Melvin Anthony (tie)
11. Silvio Samuel (tie)
13. Gustavo Badell
14. Dennis James
15. Markus Ruhl
16. Troy Alves
17. Darrem Charles
18. Martin Kjellstrom
19. Bill Wilmore
20. Dennis Wolf
21. Joel Stubbs
22. Michael Kefalianos
23. Ahmad Haidar

Pre-Order Your Copy Right Now!

Article Source: View this article in its orignal format by visiting: FlexOnline।com।

Click this link to watch video footage!

Dexter Jackson topples Jay Cutler to win the Mr. Olympia

2008-12-20T20:13:00.006+08:00

Late Saturday night, with the placings of the 17 other competitors participating in the 2008 Mr. Olympia already decided, the two men still awaiting their fate walked to center stage of The Orleans Arena. One who had been there many times before, and one who until this year never imagined he would. And in the end, after 10 years and 47 contests, Dexter Jackson finally rose to the top of the sport by toppling two-time and reigning champion Jay Cutler on the way to the biggest win of his career.

"I was praying," Jackson said. "I was undecided on if I would actually win tonight. I knew I deserved to win but I didn't think I would. This sport is full of surprises. I'm just in shock right now. I've been dreaming about this moment since I started bodybuilding. I never thought it would happen."

The win was the fourth of the year for the 39-year-old Jackson who, unbelievably, continues to get better with age. Jackson began the year by winning the third Arnold Classic of his career in his best-ever form, and the improvement he displayed after years of consistently good (and sometimes great) performances elevated him to a new level and marked him as a legitimate threat to challenge Cutler in Las Vegas.

And although the 235-pound Jackson gave up roughly 30 pounds to Cutler at the Friday prejudging, Jackson's superior conditioning and aesthetics were rewarded over Cutler's sheer size. On the final scorecards, the two were separated by seven points.

Cutler entered the Olympia threatening to match the level he reached at the Olympia in 2001, when he lost a controversial decision to Ronnie Coleman. By all accounts leading up to the show, he was on track to match that performance. But he took the stage at the Friday prejudging inexplicably flat, and carrying enough water to leave the door open for someone to step in and steal his crown. Feeling the heat, Cutler took his preparation to a new level, dropping 10 pounds before taking the stage on Saturday night. And while he looked vastly improved from Friday, Jackson's lead was too much to overcome.

"I feel a little sad but I have to be happy for Dexter because I know what it's like to win," Cutler said. "He didn't believe he could win when we were standing there. You win some you lose some. He looked better than me last night and I obviously had too much ground to cover tonight. It makes the Olympia a little more interesting, we've had those years where its the same guys winning all the time, it just sucks that I have to be the guy who gets defeated so quickly. But that's what makes me who I am."

Although the Jackson-Cutler matchup grabbed the headlines, it was not the only story line that developed over the two-day contest. Nearly each of the top eight hit the mark, making it one of the most competitive Olympias in recent memory. And, standing at the forefront of that pack was Olympia rookie Phil Heath. Heath, who pushed Jackson at the Arnold in March, took his physique to the next level in Las Vegas and established himself - for now - as the best of the new breed. The 28-year-old Heath finished third - the highest finish for an Olympia rookie since 29-year-old Dorian Yates placed second to Lee Haney in 1991. Heath also came out on top in the much anticipated first matchup versus 29-year-old Dennis Wolf and gained the upper hand in a rivalry that will define the sport for years to come.

Wolf, who entered the contest being mentioned by some as the main threat to Cutler's three-peat, did not make the impact he was expected to. Despite finishing fourth, the German lacked both the conditioning and - incredibly - the overwhelming size he displayed when bursting onto the scene with his fifth-place finish a year ago.

Toney Freeman's fifth-place finish was greeted with the loudest boos from the audience. Freeman managed to at least match his conditioning and size from the 2007 Ironman, widely regarded as his best-ever showing.

Melvin Anthony made the final posedown for the third consecutive year, placing sixth for the second straight Olympia.

Mr. Olympia Final Results

1. Dexter Jackson

2. Jay Cutler

3. Phil Heath

4. Dennis Wolf

5. Toney Freeman

6. Melvin Anthony

7. Silvio Samuel

8. Dennis James

9. Mo Elmoussawi

10. Gustavo Badell

11. Darrem Charles

12. Johnnie Jackson

13. Craig Richardson

14. Ronny Rockel

15. David Henry

16. Kevin English

17T. Fouad Abiad

17T. Sergey Shelestov

17T. Leo Ingram

Gates wins the Figure O

A new champion has ascended to the top of the pro Figure ranks, as Jennifer Gates quarter-turned her way to the 2008 Figure Olympia title.The surprise win elevated Gates into some elite company, as only the third woman to win the Figure O in the contest's six-year history, along with Jenny Lynn (2006-2007) and Davana Medina (2003-2005).The 31-year-old mother of two from Indiana overcame a loaded field, including runner-up Gina Aliotti (who wears the 2008 Figure International crown), and Zivile Raudoniene of Lithuania, the 2007 and '08 New York Pro Figure champion, as well as 2006-2007 Figure International victor Mary Elizabeth Lado of Metarie, Louisiana, who was fifth here. Meanwhile, Lynn, the two-time defending champ who has competed in every Figure Olympia since its inception, fell to fourth.

2008 Figure Olympia Final Results

1. Gina Aliotti

2. Jennifer Gates

3. Zivile Raudoniene

4. Jenny Lynn

5. Mary Elizabeth Lado

6. Sonia Adcock

7. Kristal Richardson

8. Amy Fry

9. Nicole Wilkins

10. Heather Mae French

11. Lenay Hernandez

12. Juie Ann Kulla

13. Huong Arcinas

14. Jessica Paxson-Putnam

15. Jelena Abbou

16. Teresa Anthony

17. Jane Awad

18-tie. Paola Almerico, Darlina Brown, Bernadette Galvan, Hazal Nelson, Felicia Romero, Chastity Slone, Brenda Marie Smith, Kristi Tauti, Laticia Wilder

Article Source:
View this article in its orignal format by visiting: FlexOnline.com.

2007 Olympia Weekend Mens Finals Double Down!

2007-10-02T21:01:00.000+08:00

The 2007 Mr. Olympia came down to the final round, as Victor Martinez pushed Jay Cutler to the limit before coming up a point short.

Cutler, who admitted he was a little off on Friday night, charged back at the Saturday finals, becoming a multi-Olympia winner on the same night when perhaps the sports greatest champion, Ronnie Coleman, made his final bow on the O stage, finishing fourth and getting two standing ovations from the sold out Orleans Arena crowd.

In third place was Dexter Jackson, the 2005 and 2006 Arnold Classic champ who earlier this year lost that title to Martinez. It was a validation for The Blade that he is still a force to be reckoned with, as he beat out Coleman, a hard-charging Dennis Wolf in fifth, and Marvelous Melvin Anthony in sixth.

Perhaps no one made a bigger stride in this contest than Wolf. The German was a huge crowd favorite, and showed every ounce of his future Mr. Olympia potential. The crowd booed at his placing (viewing it as too low), and he also won the Bodybuilding.com Fan's Choice award with 32% of the votes cast (Martinez was second at 27%).

For blow-by-blow coverage, check out the Flex forums under Gossip, where we posted prejudging commentary by Editor-in-Chief Peter McGough, Chris Cormier and Flex Staff Writer Allan Donnelly, as well as finals reports as the decisions went down.

2007 MR. OLYMPIA

Top 10

1) Jay Cutler

2) Victor Martinez

3) Dexter Jackson

4) Ronnie Coleman

5) Dennis Wolf

6) Melvin Anthony

7) Silvio Samuel

8) Gustavo Badell

9) Johnnie Jackson

10) David Henry

For More Picture Galleries of 2007 Mr. & Ms. Olympia. Click Here!

Article Source:
View this article in its orignal format by visiting: FlexOnline.com.

Get Your Copy of Mr. & Ms. Olympia DVDs Now!

Victor Martinez wins the 2007 Arnold Classic title

2007-06-02T22:57:00.001+08:00

2007 Arnold ClassicCompetitor List and Gallery Links
1) TONEY FREEMAN
2) BRANCH WARREN
3) RONNIE ROCKELL
4) PHIL HEATH
5) DEXTER JACKSON
6) MARKUS RUHL
7) GUSTAVO BADELL
8) SILVIO SAMUEL
9) HIDETADA YAMAGISHI
10) SERGEY SHELESTOV
11) DAVID HENRY
12) LUKE WOOD
13) VICTOR MARTINEZ
14) MARCUS HALEY
15) VINCE TAYLOR
16) MARK DUGDALE

Victor Martinez finally broke through to win one of the sports top titles, defeating two-time defending champ Dexter Jackson at the 19th annual Arnold Classic, held at Veteran's Memorial in Columbus, Ohio March 3.

Much like last year's contest, when the top four of Dexter Jackson, Branch Warren, Victor Martinez and Gustavo Badell could have been interchanged without a lot of controversy because there was no clear-cut standout, the 2007 Arnold Classic featured a top five that all had strengths and weaknesses. Victor Martinez wasn't quite as dialed in as during the 2006 Mr. Olympia prejudging when he was a solid third behind Jay Cutler and Ronnie Coleman; Dexter Jackson wasn't as sharp as we've come to expect from "The Blade"; Toney Freeman was much tighter than his victory a week before at the Sacramento Pro, but lacked some depth in his back and detail in his glutes; Phil Heath, while the most striated and aesthetic bodybuilder on stage, still needs more front-to-back thickness in his upper body before he becomes a bona fide threat to take an Arnold or Olympia title; and Gustavo Badell, who wasn't even a part of the first callout of the day but gamely battled back by the end of prejudging to crash the top-five party.

In the final analysis, it would seem Martinez's amazing structure won out the day, helping him to a straight-firsts victory even while not quite in top condition. There are very few bodybuilders in the world who could pull off such a feat, but the Dominican Dominator is definitely one of them, and solidifies his position as a top threat to Cutler and Coleman's one-two lockdown at the Olympia.

While people will debate the Jackson versus Martinez decision, other interesting stories emerged from the top six. Freeman, for one, who at 40 is finally getting his due in the pro ranks by winning his last two contests and taking third at the Arnold. Also, Heath, who proved he could hang with the big boys and should have been no lower than fourth but got nudged into fifth by a hard-charging Badell; and Samuel, with his flaring rounded muscle bellies and a compact midsection (which he does lose control of sometimes, but that's not an uncorrectable flaw) who was all in all excellent.

Arnold Classic Final Results:Columbus, OhioMarch 3, 2007
1) Victor Martinez
2) Dexter Jackson
3) Toney Freeman
4) Gustavo Badell
5) Phil Heath
6) Silvio Samuel
7) Branch Warren
8) Ronny Rockel
9) Markus Ruhl
10) Vince Taylor
11) Mark Dugdale
12) Marcus Haley
13) Hidetada Yamagishi
14) David Henry
15) Sergey Shelestov
16) Luke Wood

Most Muscular Award: Victor MartinezBest Posing Routine ($10,000): Marcus Haley

LIST OF PREJUDGING CALLOUTSFirst callout: Toney Freeman, Phil Heath, Dexter Jackson, Victor Martinez

Second callout: Branch Warren, Ronny Rockel, Gustavo Badell, Silvio Samuel

Third callout: Markus Ruhl, Hidetada Yamagishi, Marcus Haley, Mark Dugdale, Vince Taylor

Fourth callout: Branch Warren, Silvio Samuel, Ronny Rockel, Markus Ruhl

Article Source:
View this article in its orignal format by visiting: FlexOnline.com.

COLEMAN DENIES LATEST INTERNET POST

2007-01-11T20:39:00.000+08:00

In the months after the 2006 Mr. Olympia contest, there have been differing opinions concerning how eight-time champ Ronnie Coleman has reacted to the loss. Now, in a recent development, controversial comments attributed to Coleman surrounding his Olympia defeat at the hands of Jay Cutler have been released online.

The comments were posted at ProSource.net under Coleman’s screen name. Here are the posts in their entirety:

Post number one:
“Trust me dude, I am fully aware of all the haters out there and the things they say...Well I'm just gone piss them off more when I come back next year and kick jays butt....Those people will use just about any excuse to make themselves feel better about their boy jay...Well I'm gonna show them that this 43 year old is on a different standard than what they're on...My genetics are far superior to theirs and their boy jay too, aint no need to brag about it though, I got 8 titlese to jays 1 that says it all...Thanks for the support brother, Love you for it…”

Post number two:
“Just a bunch of rumors dude, first the judges have to have some reason to give jay first so they use this...It was all over the internet before the show so they just decided to run with it...Once they did, all the magazines just figured, what the hell, that sounds good to us...Mostly they all kinda wanted jay to win deep down in their hearts...Its just human nature with most people anyway just to cheer for the underdog and being white sure helped jay a lot too.....
Rather than get involved in the hysteria, we went to the man himself to get the truth.

Here’s what he had to say:

COLEMAN: Sounds like one of my pissed off fans. I’ve gotten probably around two to three-thousand emails sort of like that. Sounds like one of them just got on there and posted some stuff. That’s all that is.

FLEX: These were on ProSource.net Ronnie, where you have been known to post in the past. One more time, are you saying you didn’t post these comments on ProSource?

COLEMAN: No I didn’t post those. I post on there though, but I didn’t post those two. Sound like somebody just trying to stir up some controversy.

FLEX: If you didn’t post these, I will address the second one. Do you think that Jay being white had anything to do with him winning this Olympia?

COLEMAN: No, no. I don’t think nothing like that. Like I said it’s probably just that somebody that’s pissed off about me not winning. Because I’ve gotten a couple thousand of those.

FLEX: Lets talk about the rumors surrounding the lat and triceps tears. I know you’ve addressed them before, but they’re here again. Are there any truth to those rumors.

COLEMAN: No, aint no truth to none of those rumors. I don’t have a tricep tear or a lat tear. I heard somebody say a biceps tear also. I don’t have any tear. I get asked that a lot too. I always tell people no, just rumors.

Article Source:
View this article in its orignal format by visiting: FlexOnline.com.

Sean Toh : Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year To All My Friends

2006-12-24T22:13:00.000+08:00

Hello Friends,

This is just a quick note to say thank you for your Christmas greetings and wish you and yours a very happy and healthy Christmas too.

I hope that over the holidays you are able to take time to think about and appreciate those for whom you work so hard throughout the year. You, your family, friends and the larger community are the REAL gifts in our lives. Their comfort, support and encouragement fuels our continuing desire to both succeed and share the gift in kind.

In that spirit, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for making me part of your extended circle. For that,I am truly blessed.

With your support homeless and hungry people are being housed, fed and cared for this year; and together we can make an even bigger difference in the world in 2007 and beyond.

From my home to yours... I wish you peace, harmony and all the joy of the holiday Season and all the best of success in the New Year.

Merry Christmas! Enjoy reading!

Yours Sincerely
Sean Toh

SARCEV SIDESWIPED BY ESPN.COM

2006-12-24T21:52:00.001+08:00

Milos Sarcev is itching to get back onto a bodybuilding stage to duke it out with fellow iron pumpers, and he’s more than ready to do battle (verbally) with a certain keyboard puncher.

In an ESPN.com article titled “Bodybuilders, Vegas and Victor Conte . . . oh my!” published October 4, 2006, reporter Mike Fish chronicles his walk through the 2006 Olympia Expo. Keeping with the status quo of mainstream sports writers who cover bodybuilding, he adopts a haughty and morally righteous tone as he describes the expo attendees and their motives.

“It’s late now,” he writes, “and the friends bound by steroids and a desire to turn a buck amble out of a convention hall that for this weekend is a shrine to the lucrative supplement industry.”

Fish devotes a portion of the article to a conversation he had with Sarcev, in which the former and future competitor asserts that steroids are not worthy of the kind of demonization government officials seem to think they warrant.

“The government is feeding the media wrong information, that anabolic steroids are destructive drugs,” Sarcev told Fish. “Anabolic is a word; it means ‘constructive.’ Not ‘destructive.’”

Sarcev doesn’t contend he was misquoted in the piece, but he does bristle over Fish’s labeling of him as a “self-described steroid expert” and is disappointed Fish didn’t make good on his word to let him see the story before sending it for publication. “I had him sign a piece of paper that said he would show it to me for my approval,” Sarcev says. “But I never saw the story until it came out [online].”

Fish follows Sarcev’s statements with a prejudiced caveat that immediately reveals the reporter’s bias: “Many in the medical community, of course, take issue with Sarcev’s characterization of the benevolence of steroids. . . ” he writes. Although it may be sound journalism to state that some in the medical community may question the safety of steroid use by healthy individuals, adding the phrase “of course” turns the piece into an editorial — one man’s pointed views on a multifaceted subject. It is just another example of the hit-and-run approach of the mainstream media as they take yet another slanted swipe at the sport.

Article Source:
View this article in its orignal format by visiting: FlexOnline.com

JAY MAKES IT 3 AND 0

2006-12-24T20:37:00.001+08:00

Jay Cutler completed the gauntlet, winning three shows in Europe over the course of three days, relegating eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman to second each time.

The victories cement Cutler's status as the world's new number-one bodybuilder, proving his stunning Mr. Olympia victory September 30 was no fluke.

On Sunday, October 8, Cutler added the Dutch Grand Prix title to the Austrian and Romanian Grand Prix trophies he won on Friday and Saturday,respectively. Over the three days, both Coleman and Cutler improved their condition, damaged with the long flights over from the U.S. earlier in the week - now, with the contest season over, both can head back to their respective camps and plan their attack for next year. Cutler plans to defend his O title, while at this point, it seems Coleman is planning to return as well. Retirement rumors swirled before this year's O - but Coleman vehemently denied them in the weeks leading up to the Olympia, and hasn't indicated otherwise since.

Meanwhile, third place in Austria went to a very deserving Ronny Rockel, who now has punched his ticket to the 2007 Olympia.

DUTCH GRAND PRIX RESULTS

1. Jay Cutler
2. Ronnie Coleman
3. Ronny Rockel
4. Hidetada Yamagishi
5. Eddie Abbew
6. Lee Powell
7. Jaroslav Horvath
8. Meset Itli
9. Alexander Fedorov
10. Trevor Crouch
11. Tommi Thorvildsen
12. Alison Maria
13. Aimam Faour
14. Armando Alcazar
15. Oleg Makfhantsez

Article Source:

View this article in its orignal format by visiting: flexOnline.com

Cutler Dethrones Ronnie At 2006 Olympia

2006-12-16T13:21:00.000+08:00

September 30, 2006 is a day that will live in bodybuilding lore forever. A capacity crowd at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas bore witness to history, but it was not the history many had expected. Ronnie Coleman, going for his record-breaking ninth Sandow trophy, instead lost to four-time runner-up Jay Cutler, and by a convincing margin by bodybuilding standards, 22 to 38 (lowest score wins). In fact, Cutler won all four rounds of the show.

Although Coleman was losing after yesterday's prejudging, the champ did not go down without a fight. In arguably the best posing routine ever seen on an Olympia stage, Coleman had world-famous boxing announcer Bruce Buffer step out on stage to announce him - Ronnie then came down through the crowd to a raucous ovation. After ducking backstage, a few moments later he reappeared in a Moses costume, long white beard and all.

But in the end, a slightly better physique beat the better showman on this night, as Cutler's extra 10 pounds of size and sharp improvements finally put him over the top.

Here is the top 15:
1) Jay Cutler
2) Ronnie Coleman
3) Victor Martinez
4) Dexter Jackson
5) Melvin Anthony
6) Gustavo Badell
7) Toney Freeman
8) Markus Ruhl
9) Dennis James
10) Gunter Schlierkamp
11) Vince Taylor
12) Branch Warren
13) Johnnie Jackson
14) Darrem Charles
15) Troy Alves

Men's Prejudging Comparisons Gallery
Men's Individual Compulsories Gallery

Article Source:
View this article in its orignal format by visiting: FlexOnline.com.

Sean Toh

2007 IFBB Contest Schedule

2006-11-30T14:19:00.000+08:00

Get the full IFBB competitions schedule. Find out when and where the latest men's, women's, fitness, and figure events are being held. Get it all right here! Here is a 2007 calendar of events for Men's Bodybuilding.

Sean Toh

Jay Cutler The New Mr Olympia

2006-10-08T19:02:00.000+08:00

Huge upset. 8-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman gets 2nd place to Jay Cutler!

Results and pictures now online!

2006 Mr. Olympia DVD

The 2006 Mr. Olympia promised to be one of the best in history and it certainly rocked the record books when JAY CUTLER defeated Ronnie Coleman to become the new Mr. Olympia! Victor Martinez took third while Arnold Classic champion Dexter Jackson had to settle for fourth place. This Double-DVD set will be packed with exclusive coverage of both Prejudging and Finals, interviews behind-the-scenes footage, and much more. This promises to be one of the best Olympia DVDs in recent years -- don't miss the excitement and the crowning glory for legendary Jay Cutler. Double DVD disc only $39.95, estimated shipping by the first week of December if not before.

MEN'S BODYBUILDING

Top 15

1. Jay Cutler
2. Ronnie Coleman
3. Victor Martinez
4. Dexter jackson
5. Melvin Anthony
6. Gustavo Badell
7. Toney Freeman
8. Markus Ruhl
9. Dennis James
10. Gunter Schlierkamp
11. Vince Taylor
12. Branch Warren
13. Johnnie Jackson
14. Darrem Charles
15. Troy Alves - 217

Ronnie and Jay round-by-round breakdown:

Jay
Round 1 &2 - 12
Round 3 - 5
Round 4 - 5

Ronnie
Round 1 &2 - 18
Round 3 - 10
Round 4 - 10

Jay Wins Again! Check out the results form the 2006 IFBB Austria Pro Grand Prix Bodybuilding & Figure contest held on October 6th in Graz, Austria. Full results and pics coming soon. Check back often! We continue with our Post-Olympia updates with more photos, wallpapers, reviews, Post-Olympia Interviews, and upcoming contest information. Will Ronnie be able to improve at the Romania Grand Prix after getting second at the Austria Pro Grand Prix? We will have to wait and see.

Sean Toh

The Official Olympia Blog

2006-09-28T09:11:00.000+08:00

The Official Olympia Blog

Hey everyone, the mass game at the Olympia is getting more and more intense, it seems that this is the current physique that the judges favor, or at least, a hybrid of aesthetics and mass, I am here simply to shed some light upon the guys of now, who are actually hitting the stage at near 300lbs, here are some:

Get different views from our forum members about the upcoming Olympia. See what 5 talented and verbose forum/BodySpace members have to say about this years grand event. Read on for great unbiased comments...

Sean Toh

Bob Paris pics, biography, contest history, and more! Learn about your favorite pro bodybuilder.

2006-09-19T21:50:00.000+08:00

Bob Paris

By: Pro Profiles

Vital Stats
Name: Bob Paris
Location: California and Washington State, USA
Born: December 14, 1959, Indiana.
Height: 6'
Off Season Weight: Around ??
Competition Weight: Around 220
Competitive Record
1981 Mr. Los Angeles 1st
1982 Mr. California - NPC 2nd, Lightheavyweight
1982 Nationals - NPC 4th, Heavyweight
1982 IFBB North American Championships 3rd, Heavyweight
1982 NPC USA Championships 3rd, Heavyweight
1983 NPC Nationals Overall Winner
1983 NPC Nationals 1st, Heavyweight
1983 IFBB World Amateur Championships Overall Winner
1983 IFBB World Amateur Championships 1st, Heavyweight
1984 Mr. Olympia 7th
1985 Mr. Olympia 9th
1986 IFBB Los Angeles Pro Championsips 7th
1986 IFBB World Pro Championships 6th
1988 IFBB Chicago Pro Invitational 5th
1988 IFBB Grand Prix (England) 6th
1988 IFBB Grand Prix (France) 4th
1988 IFBB Grand Prix (Germany) 6th
1988 IFBB Grand Prix (Greece) 6th
1988 IFBB Grand Prix (Italy) 3rd
1988 IFBB Grand Prix (Spain) 5th
1988 IFBB Grand Prix (Spain) [2] 4th
1988 IFBB Niagara Falls Pro Invitational 3rd
1988 IFBB Night of Champions 3rd
1988 Mr. Olympia 10th
1989 Arnold Classic 5th
1989 IFBB Grand Prix (France) 3rd
1989 IFBB Grand Prix (Germany) 6th
1989 Grand Prix (Melbourne) 3rd
1989 Grand Prix (Spain) [2] 3nd
1989 Grand Prix (Spain) 3rd
1989 Grand Prix (Sweden) 4th
1989 IFBB Night of Champions 4th
1989 Mr. Olympia 14th
1989 IFBB World Pro Championships 3rd
1990 IFBB Night of Champions 14th
1991 Arnold Classic 16th
1991 IFBB Grand Prix (Italy) 5th
1991 Ironman Pro Invitational 10th
1991 Ironman Pro Invitational 11th
1991 Musclefest Grand Prix 3rd
1991 Mr. Olympia 12th
1992 IFBB Chicago Pro Invitational 10th

BooksClick on the title of a book to learnmore about it and/or order it!

Beyond Built

Flawless : The Ten-Week, Total-Image Method for Transforming Your Physique

Gorilla Suit : My Adventures in Bodybuilding

Natural Fitness

Bob Paris, a former Mr. Universe, is a gay activist and motivational speaker of international renown and the author of six books. He lives in Washington State and California.

Sean Toh

Interview With Shawn Ray

2006-09-11T22:13:00.000+08:00

One of the most spectacular pro-bodybuilders of the latter part of the 20-century would be Shawn Ray - a man often referred to as having the perfect combination of mass and aesthetics. For over 17-years, Shawn has wowed bodybuilding audiences with a perfectly presented package of quality muscle, narrowly, and often controversially, losing the Olympia on many occasions.

The qualities Shawn has in abundance (muscle symmetry, definition, presentation skills, and great muscle shape) appear to be overlooked today in favor of the more massive physique according to Shawn. This has prompted him to award worthy competitors with a best presentation award and openly condemn the current emphasis on the 'mass at all costs' approach.

Half a lifetime dieting and training to win bodybuilding's most converted prize, the Mr. Olympia, has given Shawn unparalleled insight concerning bodybuilding politics and the professional system as a whole: he feels the system needs to change to accommodate a dwindling fan base and reward the athletes who are overlooked in favor of the more massive individuals. "I walked away from competition because I wanted to live a healthier life" said Shawn. "I didn't want to raise the bar to the standard the judges are now rewarding."

A man much admired, and often derided, for his propensity to speak his mind and 'tell it like it is', Shawn never distanced himself to far from controversy, and always kept the bodybuilding media well-stocked with personal predictions and his own, sometimes vitriolic, brand of bodybuilding commentary.

One of bodybuilding's meteoric risers, Shawn achieved his pro-card by winning the 1987 Nationals at the age of 22, at 196lbs, on his very first attempt. His first pro-show, the 1988 Night of the Champions, where he secured forth-place, and an invite to the Mr Olympia, presented Shawn with a golden opportunity to highlight the physique of a new era.

Shawn Ray When He Won The Nationals & Got His Pro Card.
Shawn's first Olympia was not the most auspicious of starts simply due to his lack of experience, but a win at the first ever Iron-Man pro two-years later (in 1990) gave him confidence to realize his destiny as one of the best ever.

Since this win Shawn has accumulated 13-years experience as an Olympia competitor and has gone down in history as one of the most persistent, and consistently well conditioned pros of all time.

In the following interview Shawn talks about his life in bodybuilding and reveals all about the current state of the sport.

[ Q ] Where are you living at the moment Shawn?

Yorba Linda. Which is in Orange County Southern California, 10 mins East of Disneyland. The Birth and resting place of former President of the United States, Richard Nixon.

[ Q ] I understand you just arrived back from Istanbul, Turkey? What exactly were you doing over there?

I had four seminars to do over there. They bought me in to Speak & Lecture about information related to:
Training
Nutrition
Supplementation
Competition
Health & Fitness
Bodybuilding 101
As well as the Shawn Ray story.
That's what I do. I travel the world performing professional seminars and training exhibitions. I don't pose anymore. The last time I posed on a bodybuilding stage was in Okinawa, Japan August of 2002. My last contest was the Mr. Olympia in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2001.

[ Q ] What have you been doing since your last contest Shawn?

Since my last contest in October of 2001, I have been working for and representing Weider / AMI Publications, the same company I have been sponsored by for the last 17 years of my professional career.

My contract expired on February 28th of this year and I'll be moving on.

Yes, I will immediately begin working with and representing the nutrition company called Vyo-Tech Nutritionals out of Beverly Hills, California as their spokesperson and representative at trade shows, contests, exhibitions and conventions for the next two years effective March 1st, 2005.

[ Q ] Tell me about your Muscle Camps?

I just got back from Johannesburg, South Africa this past November, promoting the first ever Muscle Camp Seminar / Posing and Contest! My Co-promoter, Tommy Fraser and I took top professional bodybuilders:
Troy Alves
Melvin Anthony
Lee Powell

As well as:

Fitness Queen, Adela Freidmansky
& Fitness/Model, Timea Majorova.

The pro bodybuilders took part in judging bodybuilders at a South African competition. We then had the athletes perform a posing exhibition and seminar. Next, we provided the fans with an opportunity to train with the Pro bodybuilders.

I hold Muscle Camps every year with others planned in the future including, Las Vegas.
I have also have had them in Dublin, Ireland, Miami, Florida and Sydney, Australia - so I am really getting a lot more support for the Muscle Camps from pro Athletes to the fans!

Bodybuilders in Turkey are now wanting one there. With every Muscle Camp I like to try and bring in new athletes, both bodybuilding/fitness and figure for the different markets.
I'm taking this show on the road and to the fans because not a lot of people can afford to visit California every day and live the bodybuilding dream, or come out to Gold's Gym in Venice Beach, Ca. to pick the brains of the Pro bodybuilders.

Therefore, I chose three to five Pro athletes and take the information and show to the fans!

[ Q ] When are you bringing a Muscle Camp to New Zealand?

That would be awesome! As a matter of fact, last year we had Muscle Camps in both Melbourne and Sydney, Australia. Muscle Camps will only work if I can work with someone from a particular region who can promote it there, while I gather the talent and help with the marketing side of things over here.

Essentially we are catering to certain clientele and we just want to ensure they get their moneys worth.

[ Q ] Tell me about the post Olympia seminars?

For the past 6 years the day after the Olympia, I have been putting on seminars with all the top Pros. This year I had four out of the five top five guys, including Ronnie Coleman, Markus Ruhl, Gunter Schlierkamp Dexter Jackson and Jay Cutler. Also I had Kevin Levrone and Flex Wheeler, kind of the "where are they now type guys".

This is a big task given that this is 24-hours after the Mr. Olympia Contest and the bodybuilders take their shirts of and pose for the fans and answer questions for 2 hours!

As well, I raffle off personal items belonging to the Pros and give away a "VIP ALL EXPENSE PAID" trip to contests as my personal guest!

[ Q ] Explain the "Best Presentation Award" you developed following the Mr. Olympia?
This is where I present an award for the finest display of posing. Last year Melvin Anthony won the award. This year it was presented to Darrem Charles. I gather other Professional Bodybuilders and we collectively decide based on the following criteria who the winner of the $10,000.00 Award is:

Choreography
Musical Score
Entertainment
Smooth Transitions
Best Poses
Balance and Harmony.

Any athlete on that stage is capable of winning this award without bias or politics. As an athlete I put a lot of emphasis on the "Presentation" side of the sport to entertain the fans. Sponsors include:

Pure Performance Nutrition
Crisis Management Event Services
Pharmagenx
Gerstner & Associates
M&F / Flex Magazines
Muscular Development
Muscle Mag. INT.
Body Rock Productions
Love Productions
Kristie Ray
Shawn Ray Productions
Stronghold Ministries

I feel that competitors should be rewarded for going the extra mile to perform for the paying audience.

[ Q ] Do you feel a bodybuilder like Darrem Charles, who has perfected his presentation, will ever place toward the top based purely on his presentation and symmetry or will he continually be relegated toward the lower end of the top ten? What is the state of judging in the IFBB today?

He will continue to be relegated toward the bottom of the top ten of the Mr. Olympia not based on lack of quality but quite simply because, and I will be emphatic here:
"The Judges Will Not Rotate!"

There is currently a total lack of rotation within the pool of IFBB judges currently qualified to judge. Once you're an IFBB judge, you're always an IFBB judge. Meaning, typically there are a hand-full of judges, mostly from the USA, who preside over an "International" pool of competitors.

Bodybuilders are simply not being judged by a jury of their peers. For example:
A guy like Kris Dim being placed 13th at the Olympia while Markus Ruhl places 5th.
Only a week later he beats Markus Ruhl in Europe TWICE during the same week, in basically the same condition as the Mr. Olympia but with totally different judges?

The Mr. Olympia judging has become an embarrassment to the fans and a lot of the athletes. I have the emails, phone calls and response from the fans when I travel for seminars around the world and they are emphatic!

This problem can be easily ratified through "Proper judge rotation" annually, so that not one single judge on that panel judges the Mr. Olympia in consecutive years.

If you have 60 judges qualified and you only need twelve, there is no reason why we cant have a different panel of judges each year?

If you are an IFBB card-carrying judge, you should have the opportunity to judge the biggest bodybuilding competition in the world, PERIOD! Sadly, however that is not the case. I personally know of Professional IFBB Judges whom have NEVER judged the Mr. Olympia that have been judges for years.

The flip side is, I also know some Pro judges that virtually judge the contest EVERY YEAR!
I don't know whether it is a control factor or what, but ALL judges should be entitled to gain the relevant experience by virtue of a random selection process giving them all an equal chance to partake in and event as big as the Mr. Olympia.

Many judges are alienated based on the language barriers and their geographic location. The problem is, if you are able to judge a show in Italy without speaking Italian, you should be able to judge a show in America because the judges shouldn't be talking anyway - the outcome is based on a points system and it is a physique contest.

This is an area beyond my control but the fans and athletes are equally disturbed by the lack of changing opinions that direct the outcome of this contest.

[ Q ] Is this system to blame for the lack of variation in exactly who wins the Mr. Olympia year after year?

The multiple winners we have seen are a sheer reflection of the lack of rotation of opinions and the people who are judging this show. There is no reason why Jay Cutler, Flex Wheeler, Kevin Levrone and myself haven't won a Sandow trophy?

It is not like we did not have a chance to win, it was that people who judge each year don't change what they like each year.

Meaning, if the judge likes mass then balance symmetry and conditioning will lose out every time and every year.

[ Q ] Does this lack of rotation explain why a guy like Dexter Jackson can't place second or ever win the Mr. Olympia, when clearly in the opinion of many he should be right up there with Ronnie?

I don't know whether it is a control factor. These placing's reflect the outcome of a system that is still being twisted and tweaked and not a reflection of actually what the fans see. There is no accountability on the part of the judges.

No one on behalf of the athletes to ask them questions of how and why this happens, which is why the bodybuilders do articles and interviews to express how they truly feel.

Things are only to be threatened by the federation or talked about behind their backs by the very judges who will judge them again down the road.

Who Is Judging The JUDGES?

They are not beyond criticism and evaluation in my eyes. I call things as I see them and some of them don't like what I am saying but what I say regarding these matters I have lived, witnessed and painfully suffered through.

When a judge takes what I am saying personally, they probably have some guilt in them knowing I am speaking the TRUTH!

[ Q ] What are your thoughts on the new "Challenge round?"

To put in a new round like the challenge round that gets judged on the spot in front of the fans pulls the curtain back on the Wizards of Oz. It exposed some of what is wrong with our judges and clearly, there were going to be some casualties.

The vast majority of the athletes were not in favour of this round. They felt they could be knocked off their perch at any time without rhyme or reason.

The challenge round eliminated the entire pre-judging round. They essentially started the whole contest over and I didn't feel it was a fair way and had no bearing on the final result according to the way the round was introduced. I will give the federation credit because they went out on a limb and tried something different and I'm all for change.

Next time, why not just start with ALL NEW JUDGES! That said, there are bugs within this new round that will need to be ironed out, but a lot of athletes will fall by the wayside before this happens.

[ Q ] What is your biggest concern within Pro bodybuilding today?

The biggest problem we have, and this is part of the reason I quit being the IFBB Athletes Representative, is that the athletes complaints fall on deaf ears and there is little to no is change when the athletes voice their concerns.

There are certain promoters that don't pay some athletes (James Goad Orlando Pro and Nimrod King Toronto Pro) after the show is over and these athletes have no way of recouping their prize money?

The federation doesn't lift a hand in support and the our Vice President does not guarantee the promoter will pay even after issuing a sanction fee to the promoter which is the saddest part of all.

These guys bust their humps to compete for their money and for the fans, as well as commit to the promoter but they have zero support in getting paid in full!

[ Q ] Who will take over from you as Athletes Rep?

Well, the next person with the biggest mouth is Bob Cicherillo. Bob is a good friend of mine with the same passion and love for the sport with the best interests of the athletes in his heart.
He is qualified to be the Athletes Rep based on his ability to stand by his word and he has an opinion. I was told he is taking over the position by "Appointment" However, I had to round up 98 Signatures by way of Email, Fax and Phone Calls around the world to get the position.
You feeling my pain yet?

No matter who is the Athletes Rep they will run into the same brick walls I ran into - a system that nobody can infiltrate. The division of the athletes is what keeps the old system in place.
Change is needed at the higher level, not just with Wayne Demilia being Axed as Vice President of the IFBB but the whole system. When a year has gone by and there is absolutely nothing accomplished and nothing has been changed in the way of increased prize money, new judges etc..., we have a big problem.

There are athletes that qualify for the Mr. Olympia these days who sit the contest out. 10-years-ago no one would have passed on a ticket to the Mr. Olympia that they earned by qualifying. Craig Titus, Shari Kamali and myself have sat out the Mr. Olympia.

Lee Priest doesn't even want to compete in this contest. There is a problem when the athletes don't have respect for the way the contest is run. Especially when their inclusion in the developmental process of the show is excluded!

[ Q ] Where do think bodybuilding is heading in terms of gaining a broader public acceptance and support?

I don't think bodybuilding is gaining support. The public can only get fed so much SIZE! If you only start judging a bodybuilding contest on size alone this will not enhance its profile and the lower attendance numbers and general television coverage reflects that.
We don't even wind up in the local newspaper the day after the Mr. Olympia contest (The Arnold Classic does though - Learn More)! There is a large population of people out there who are into proportion, condition, shape, symmetry and presentation. All these things are all being overlooked for size. The IFBB has Pay-Per-View for the Olympia, yet nothing financially ever gets back to the Athletes.

If this continues, the fan base will continue to be limited and the next generation of athletes that might be interested will turn away. You've got to remember that the present Mr. Olympia competes at 297 lbs. If one is 200 lbs, they probably are not going to go very far in this industry.
I was one of the fortunate few. Up and coming stars quickly get woken up to reality on the Olympia stage you can ask Rookie Pro, Richard Jones whom some magazine were heralding as the future Mr. O? NOT!

Not with these judges, not in my lifetime.

The bar been raised so high by the judges over-rewarding the freaky mass and size, that not only will you have athletes questioning whether competing is worth it financially or in terms of general health, but also asking themselves what they can do if they are 5'8 or under?

It would be like the NBA having nothing but Centers (ie. Shaq, Mutumbo, Ewing, Duncan). There has to be room for the Kobe Bryant's (Kobe OKs payout to accuser), Allen Iverson's and Jason Kidd's in the game to cater to everybody of different talent and skills
There are some great bodybuilders who will never have the opportunity to win the big one with these judges simply because it will always be the same people judging who are caught up with the emphasis on MASS!

[ Q ] So this is why bodybuilding is losing popularity?

The present criteria is unattainable for 98% of the population.

When I started bodybuilding back in 1983-84 I had guys like Mohammed Makkaway, Chris Dickerson, and Bob Paris (who was very large compared to me.)

These guys had shape, aesthetics, balance, beauty and symmetry - a certain look that wasn't so chemically enhanced, and which didn't look like a science project.

Adjectives like pretty, shapely, artistic were applied to these gladiators of the iron game and I wanted to be one of them.

I think this is what Joe Weider's (Bodybuilding.com is doing an interview with Joe, click here to sign up for updates.) vision of the sport was going to be like and then something changed.
I mean today you have synthol, growth hormone and insulin running rampant.

Words like gross, gh gut, freak, mass monster and beasts are being tossed around in our industry referring to the best in our business. My how times have changed.

Some bodybuilding magazines shy away from these freaky bodybuilders claiming they hurt sales? We have athletes getting arrested and charged with distribution of steroids and growth hormone to make ends meet. It's ridiculous.

[ Q ] How big a reality is synthol in pro bodybuilding?

Oh yeah - it's a reality. The problem is although there is a rule that clearly states a bodybuilder will be marked down for this that and that, the rules are never enforced?

Lou Ferrigno competed in Helsinki, Finland in 1992 for his comeback, with complete calf implants! Then he went on to compete in 93', 94 and 95 with these calf implants. What gives? The rules state that calf implants are illegal! An athlete can be suspended for having them.
Did You Know?That Lou Ferrigno will make you PAY for a picture with him at bodybuilding expo's. Check out the sign on the video I took (Will - Bodybuilding.com Webmaster) of him last year at the Olympia here...

Synthol use is rampant. Nasser El Sonbaty had surgery on both shoulders as a result of synthol. Milos Sarcev had both his biceps operated on because of Synthol.

Flex Wheeler admitted to using Synthol after his career was over during the time he was at the peak!

The federation made a rule in 1997 that the judges would mark down everybody who had a "distended stomachs". The competitor with the biggest distended stomach was the winner of the show Dorian Yates, Mr. Olympia which included a torn biceps and triceps.

With arm, he single handedly dominated the competition based on what the judges were looking at, now that was a joke!

When I started bodybuilding I had total control over what I could do to my body and at that time, Lee Haney was the measuring stick at 245lbs.

Then there was the Dorian Yates era at a winning bodyweight of 255lbs. At present, Ronnie Coleman has taken it to another level competing at 297lbs. Where are we heading?

There is a large population of fans and sponsors who want to draw a line in the sand.

Could Ronnie Coleman have lost a few of those Olympia's? Certainly. Could Kevin Levrone, Flex Wheeler or Jay Cutler have won at least one? Yes!

When the fans pay to see one thing and the judges give them another, clearly the fans and the athletes get disgruntled and many of them walk away from the sport. I walked away from competition because I wanted to live a healthier life. I didn't want to raise the bar to the standard the judges are now rewarding.

The judges have now issued a statement to the women that they have to reduce their muscularity by 20%. The judges shouldn't tell the athletes how to train and look instead, reward the women who win the contest by sticking to a judging criteria that rewards less muscular women.

So the outcome of the contest is controlled by the judges, not by the athletes?
The contests are becoming much more controlled by the judges. When the judges pass the baton on to the athletes and say they are too muscular, then it makes it look like the athletes are doing something wrong when the judges should be the ones looking in the mirror and saying, "Maybe we shouldn't pick the most muscular female in the contest, we should pick a champion that reflects the direction we want to go in."

The choice may not be a popular one but fits what our criteria is because this is what we what our sport to be. It doesn't make the woman feel less of a woman because we pick the less muscular female. It means we have criteria that we are looking for and that will be rewarded.
[ Q ] What about a guy like Ronnie Coleman who is thought to be both big and symmetrical?
The judges are trying to tell us that Ronnie Coleman is the standard. Unfortunately, it was the same judges that chose Dorian Yates. If I can tell you in January the name of at least five judges sitting on the panel in October, we have a problem. We have a problem with how these judges are selected.

"Who Is Picking These Judges & How Are They Picked?"

No one in bodybuilding knows how these judges are picked? I competed in the contest for 13 years and I don't have the answer to that question? Let me tell you something:

The Mr. Olympia is just like the Super bowl of football. The referee's of professional football are picked out of however many referees they have throughout the year. They are randomly picked by the NFL to judge the Super-bowl 5 or 6 of them - the cr�me de la cr�me of football. However, when we get to the Mr. Olympia, there is a mystery as to how these judges are chosen?

The judges are not being chosen on a set criteria that athletes or the fans are aware of and we happen to be PAID Members of this federation meaning there should be some sort of "Inclusion" regarding this mysterious process.

This is why you have people judging the Olympia multiple times.

So I think our biggest problems are: General perception in regard to the abuse of anabolic steroids, marketability, cross-over appeal, judging criteria, lack of rotation in the judges, the alienation of judges who are qualified but will never have the opportunity to judge and the overemphasis on mass being the main criteria.

[ Q ] Do you feel you should have won an Olympia by now?

The contracts that I have had, the marketability I have achieved in our sport, the money that I have earned in the bodybuilding industry and the way the fans have been behind me over the course of my career have shown to me that I should have won at some time or another. There were many Mr. Olympia contests where it was close but no cigar.

The sole criteria was height and weight and unfortunately for me, when I entered bodybuilding Chris Dickerson at 5.5 and 189 lbs was Mr. Olympia and I thought anything was possible.
However, I came on in the heels of Lee Haney at 5.11 and 250lbs. They then replaced Haney with an even bigger Dorian Yates. Now they have replaced Yates with still yet a bigger version again in the form of Ronnie Coleman.

It has gotten to the point where it is a forgone conclusion that the defending champion never loses. I want to go on record as saying that the last Mr. Olympia Champion to have lost on stage was 21-years-ago in 1984.

This was when Lee Haney beat Samir Bannout. As far as me not winning the contest, obviously for personal satisfaction the trophy would have nice but I think the fans and the puritans of bodybuilding have solidified my place in the sport of bodybuilding history based on what they saw and bore witness to.

Photo's don't lie and being there in person to witness these contests are an even better testimony for me when people reflect on my past achievement or lack there of.

[ Q ] What do you believe in Shawn and are you a part of any groups or organizations?

I am presently enrolled in 3 bible study classes as well as attend the Rock Community Church on Sundays with my wife whose name is Kristie. We have been married going on 2 yrs (April 4th, 2003).

I am a Christian and looking forward to what God has in store for me and my family.
As a bodybuilder, I neglected this spiritual side of my life and relied on myself and my own efforts to carry me through the tough times but I soon realized that through Jesus Christ who sustains me, "All things are possible" as I am now an Ambassador for Christ who died on the Cross for my sins.

[ Q ] Thank you for your time Shawn. It has been pleasure to interview you.

My pleasure and God Bless you Dave.

By David Robson

Profile Of Milos Sarcev

2006-08-30T11:16:00.000+08:00

Vital Stats

Name: Milos Sarcev
Location: Temecula, CA, USA
Born: January 17, 1964
Height: 5'11"
Off Season Weight: ??? lbs.
Competition Weight: 240 lbs.
Arms: 21"
Waist: 31"
Chest: 55"
Quads: 30"

Competitive Record

2001 Night of Champions XXIII - 10th
2001 Toronto Pro - 7th
1999 IFBB Grand Prix England -- 5th
1999 IFBB Joe Weiders Pro World -- 5th
1999 IFBB Mr. Olympia -- 10th
1999 IFBB Toronto Pro Invitational -- 2nd
1999 IFBB Night of Champions -- 5th
1999 IFBB Ironman Pro Invitational -- 2nd
1999 IFBB Arnold Classic -- 5th
1997 IFBB Canada Pro Cup -- 1st
1997 IFBB Grand Prix Czech Republic -- 8th
1997 IFBB Grand Prix England -- 8th
1997 IFBB Grand Prix Finland -- 8th
1997 IFBB Grand Prix Germany -- 7th
1997 IFBB Grand Prix Hungary -- 7th
1997 IFBB Grand Prix Russia -- 7th
1997 IFBB Grand Prix Spain -- 9th
1997 IFBB Night of Champions -- 2nd
1997 IFBB Mr. Olympia -- 10th
1997 IFBB Toronto Pro International -- 1st
1996 IFBB Canada Pro Cup -- 3rd
1996 IFBB Florida Pro Invitational -- 3rd
1996 IFBB Night of Champions -- 4th
1995 IFBB Niagara Falls Invitational -- 4th
1995 IFBB Houston Pro Invitational -- 5th
1995 IFBB Canada Pro Cup -- 3rd
1995 IFBB Night of Champions -- 6th
1994 IFBB Grand Prix France -- 6th
1994 IFBB Grand Prix England -- 8th
1994 IFBB Grand Prix Germany -- 4th
1994 IFBB Grand Prix Spain-- 4th
1994 IFBB Grand Prix Italy -- 4th
1994 IFBB Mr. Olympia -- 13th
1993 IFBB Pittsburgh Pro Invitational -- 3rd
1993 IFBB Mr. Olympia -- 11th
1993 IFBB Night of Champions -- 5th
1993 IFBB Niagara Falls Invitational -- 3rd
1993 IFBB Chicago Pro Invitational -- 3rd
1993 IFBB Grand Prix England -- 5th
1993 IFBB Grand Prix Finland -- 3rd
1993 IFBB Grand Prix Spain -- 3rd
1992 IFBB Pittsburgh Pro Invitational -- 4th
1992 IFBB Niagara Falls Invitational -- 4th
1992 IFBB Chicago Pro Invitational -- 5th
1992 IFBB Ironman Pro Invitational-- 6th
1992 IFBB Arnold Classic -- 8th
1992 IFBB Night of Champions -- 5th
1992 IFBB Grand Prix England-- 8th
1992 IFBB Grand Prix Spain -- 10th
1992 IFBB Grand Prix Germany -- 10th
1992 IFBB Grand Prix Italy -- 10th
1991 IFBB San Jose Pro Invitational -- 3rd
1991 IFBB Grand Prix Finland -- 4th
1991 IFBB Grand Prix Denmark-- 5th
1991 IFBB Grand Prix England -- 9th
1991 IFBB Grand Prix Switzerland -- 6th
1991 IFBB Grand Prix Italy -- 7th
1991 IFBB Grand Prix Spain -- 7th
1991 IFBB Niagara Falls Invitational -- 4th
1991 IFBB Night of Champions -- 11th
1989 Mr. Universe -- 1st
1987 European Championship -- 2nd
1987 Mr. Yugoslavia -- 1st
1986 Mr. Yugoslavia -- 1st

Milos Sarcev

Milos now appears in major publications on a frequent basis. Articles are written referring to his "classic" physique. The demand for him is global. The best way to explain why Milos is so accomplished, is to compare him to the criteria used by judges. Milos is known as not only one of the most popular bodybuilders of our time but also as one of the smartest! He has been married since 1996 to Professional fitness competitor Milamar Flores and they have a beautiful daughter.

Sean Toh

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

2006-08-29T19:47:00.000+08:00

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...

2006-08-29T19:27:00.000+08:00

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

Chris Cormier Hospitalized For Two Months & Re-Learning To Walk Again

2006-08-28T20:15:00.000+08:00

There have been several rumors going around the bodybuilding community about Chris Cormier over the last two months.

Some people were saying he was dead, others said that he had a failed liver/kidneys and was on dialysis. The rumors ran rampant. Chris has always been one of my closest friends in the fitness and bodybuilding industry, and I have sat silently by as the rumors abounded.

However, today, right now, Chris Cormier has agreed to give me and Bodybuilding.com an exclusive interview about what exactly has been going on, and what rendered him completely helpless in the hospital unable to walk or move for the last two months.

[ CL (Christina Lindley): ] When were you first admitted to the hospital?

CC (Chris Cormier): I am really not sure, up until this week I was completely unaware of how long I was actually here. They told me a couple days ago that I have been here for the last month and a half!

[ CL: ] Where are you right now?

CC: I was discharged to my friend Lenyn Nunez who came to see me three days ago for a break, against the doctor's wishes. If it wasn't for him, I don't know what I would be doing. I felt stir crazy - like I was in jail.

"Once they told me how long I was in the hospital,I freaked because I had no idea I had been therefor a month and a half! I thought it was like a week..."

They didn't want to let me check out even temporarily because they were a little scared of me there. I don't know why, I can't even f*cking move!

[ CL: ] Where were you in the hospital? Why did you temporarily check out?

CC: They had me in a bed where I couldn't move, because even though I would think to myself, "Move your whatever...," my brain would think it but my body wouldn't respond. I was so tired of looking at this white wall, "looking at ESPN all damn day!" I just wanted to watch a tree grow or whatever the f*ck!

I was so freaked out, I had to go. I called the doctor and he told me that he didn't want me to leave. I told him I was going like three miles to the local Holiday Inn to hang with my friends and play some Playstation...

[ CL: ] What are you having to do at the hotel physically for the next three days?

CC: I have to hook myself up to an IV tube that is stuck in my arm feeding my body antibiotics for 45 minutes at a time, three times a day. I hired a nurse to come by and teach my friend that is staying here with me for the next three days how to do it for me.

I am walking with a walker. I had to learn how to evenly distribute my weight on it to even be able to move. I am in so much pain with the walker up until today I couldn't even use the walker without a pain pill.

I gotta wear a back brace at all times looking like f*cking Robocop or some sh!t! I sat up today by myself for the first time. Let's put it this way, at the hospital, a good day was if I made it to the green square in the hallway!

[ CL: ] Describe the feeling of being there.

CC: I was at the hospital so long; all the nurses were cheering me on to be able to walk. It's h#ll. The pain of it is something I never would have imagined. I feel like someone ran me over with a diesel truck twice. When I was really doped up in the beginning on pain pills, they told me I was pleading for a knife or for someone to cut my legs off!

[ CL: ] Not many people are aware of this, but you are actually at a hospital in New Jersey. Why are you in New Jersey in the first place?

CC: I was waiting for Dorian Yates to find a place for me to stay close enough to his house in England. In the mean time I was staying in Hackettstown, NJ with some people who owned a nutrition store that I know. It was more convenient while waiting to go to England, as NJ is much shorter a flight to England than LA is.

[ CL: ] What put you in the hospital? People are saying all kinds of things. Set the record straight. Tell us exactly what happened?

CC: I had been getting ready to train with Dorian. Mentally, I am thinking to myself I am going to get ready for that torture. I have done it before with Charles Glass, and he knows my boundaries. Dorian, on the other hand does not, and he is going to push me to the point that he has set in his mind.

Dorian and I had trained a few times, but I am trying to get myself ready to take on his kind of training. So, I started training that way. One day I was pushing extra hard, extra deep, on the vertical press for legs. I think I did everything a little too extra!

"By 2 p.m. in the afternoon, my whole bodyhad spasmed out and locked..."

The same night my legs were sore, and I haven't been able to make my quads sore in over a year and a half so I thought that must have been a h#ll of a workout. The next morning, I wake up and my back is sore. I think that is a little weird and I think, "I'm gonna put some ice on this b!tch!"

The day wears on... ten o'clock, eleven, twelve... Each hour my back is getting stiffer and stiffer. By 2 p.m. in the afternoon, my whole body had spasmed out and locked... I was calling people, screaming at the top of my lungs.

[ CL: ] Why didn't you call 911?

CC: Men and people like me don't like going to the hospital!

[ CL: ] What happened next?

CC: I called a friend and told him to come home, that I couldn't move and had to pee so bad I was like "SH!T!" I am gonna have to pee on myself! I was trippin!" He finally came and called 911. What do you know, the police showed up before the ambulance. They come and want to check out the scene like some violent crime went down.

I'm like the only black guy I saw in this whole area and they were probably like "What the hell is the black dude up to?" The ambulance finally arrived and there were two women and one small man trying to lift me onto this little @ss board. The cop acted like he wasn't going to do anything, then he finally helped.

I was in so much pain and at the time I weighed 292 lbs. I didn't think they'd be able to lift me up, but they did. My shoulders kept hitting the doors on the way out of the house. They rushed me into the back of the ambulance, and I was in shock and hallucinating.

I thought I saw Monica in the ambulance. [NOTE: Chris is referring to Figure Competitor Monica Guerra.] I was thinking to myself how the h#ll did she get here so fast? Then I finally realized it wasn't her.

[ CL: ] What hospital did the ambulance take you to?

CC: They took me to Hackettstown Hospital. They put an arm thing on my wrist to take my pulse when I got there, asked me a total of three questions, and next thing I know they are trying to put me head first into an MRI machine. They pulled me in the machine all while I am screaming bloody murder from the pain of my entire body spasming.

I am so claustrophobic, so on top of that I am telling them to put me in feet first and no one is listening! They kept doing head first and my shoulders wouldn't fit in again. So they finally listened and did feet first up to my armpits.

[ CL: ] What was the result?

CC: They still didn't know, and they decided to take a CAT scan. However, they couldn't take one at that hospital because it was older and they weren't equipped for someone my size, so they put me back in the ambulance and we went to the next hospital called Morristown Memorial.

[ CL: ] What was happening in the ambulance?

CC: I kept asking for pain killers - I was in so much pain and my whole body would lock up like the Exorcist. They kept telling me to stop making faces like that because I was scaring everyone. I couldn't help it.

I watched as they kept checking my vitals, and I actually saw them flat line a few times then quickly start back up. They said if I had any more pain medication I would die. I felt like I was dying already.

[ CL: ] Once you got to the next hospital what did they do?

CC: They finally tested me more, another MRI, a CAT scan, I probably saw like 7-10 doctors. I still hadn't pee'd from earlier that day and didn't get to until eleven o'clock that night!

They put a cup between my legs with people trying to help me pee! Over the next several weeks I was in and out of consciousness. Monica flew out to the hospital to see me and stayed with me during some of the most painful times. I want to thank her with everything I am.

[ CL: ] What was the final diagnosis?

CC: They said the diagnosis is that my spine was infected. All these stories about my kidneys failing and all that bull sh!t is false. The only thing wrong with me is that I have three crushed vertebrae, from when I was younger, which got infected. The three are crushed down on each other and the fourth vertebrae got infected.

It was probably from beating my body the docs said. And that injury was always there. Somehow it turned into a spinal infection that can be deadly and render you completely paralyzed or you can die... if it goes untreated.

[ CL: ] How did you injure your vertebrae when you were younger?

CC: I was squatting and checking this chick out while I was doing squats and I turned my head a little and threw my back out when I was 19.

[ CL: ] Why did you push your body to the point that it collapsed?

CC: I put myself thru that for the last 26 years because my only dream ever was to be a pro. The doc asked me how much longer you need to train hard and the doc said you think you got three years and he told me, "I would be careful, Broderick..." He called me by my government name.

[ CL: ] What else did the doctors tell you?

CC: After the infection is gone from the antibiotic treatments in my spine, I can't beat my body into the ground so much.

What Causes Spinal Infections?

Spinal infections, such as Osteomyelitis, are often caused by bacteria transported into the spine by the blood stream.

Bacterial infections of this kind are more commonly seen in individuals whose immune systems are compromised, such as the elderly, intravenous drug users, those having had urologic procedures, and those who have experienced long-term systemic administration of steroids.

In addition, those suffering from or undergoing treatment for conditions such as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, AIDS, cancer, malnutrition, and also immuno-suppressed patients such as organ transplant recipients are also more likely to become infected.

Most vertebral body infections occur in the lumbar spine because of the blood flow to this region of the spine. Tuberculosis infections have a predilection for the thoracic spine, and intravenous drug abusers are more likely to contract an infection of the cervical spine.

[ CL: ] When you check back in tomorrow how long do you have to stay in the hospital?

CC: I have to be in the hospital until the end of August. Today, August 1st, is the first day I didn't have to take pain medication quite so much.

[ CL: ] Where are you now as far as walking?

CC: I can stand up without the walker.

"However, right now, to walk I have to usethe walker and a back brace."
I am getting better every day. I can make it down the hall and back.

[ CL: ] Are you going to have to have an operation?

CC: They told me an operation will not be necessary. They just said it is going to take a long time to walk on my own probably the rest of August. I have to relearn motor skills in physical therapy. I am checking back in tomorrow and staying until the end of the month. I will actually be there on my birthday August 19th unfortunately.

[ CL: ] If someone wants to send you a card or get well note where do they send it?
CC:
Broderick Cormier C/O Jefferson Level Morristown Memorial Hospital 100 Madison AvenueMorristown, NJ 07962

[ CL: ] So what did you learn from the whole experience?

CC: "I have been pushing my body for so long, I never felt like I took care of my body. I think for the most part I just have to not push myself too much for my own good. To be aware of my back injury and watch it a little bit closer. I'm still coming back to compete. I still got some sh!t to win, sh!t to talk and I'm still here...
"I'll be at the Olympia regardless..."
So look for me."

Christina Lindley

Arnold Schwarzenegger : A Growing Influence

2006-08-24T08:30:00.000+08:00

July 30th, 1947 would be a great day for the sport of bodybuilding and the world of fitness (Lincoln 74). On this day a champion was born. This champion would soon have one of the greatest influences over the bodybuilding and fitness community of all time and help change the society in which he lived, and in which we exist today. This champ needs no last name. Just say "Ah-nold" and everyone knows who your talking about (Hall 76). This champion goes by the Austrian name of Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (Bodybuilding). Although the sport of bodybuilding still lacks the extreme popularity that other well-known, time-tested sports enjoy, Arnold Schwarzenegger has helped propel it, as well as fitness to new levels never seen before, and revolutionized the sport as it is presently known.

Born in the outskirts of Graz, Austria, Schwarzenegger began lifting weights at the age of 15. At this time he was a skinny boy weighing a mere 160 pounds. Inspired by the physique and success of Reg Park and encouraged by his father, he soon began to rapidly build up his body training as much as five hours a day (Arnold). In a very short three years, he had already won the Austrian Junior weightlifting championship, as well as, the Junior Mr. Europe title (Lincoln 74). This was just the beginning of his reign of supremacy. Soon afterward he ran a gym and health club in his new town called Munich (Lincoln 74). He had left Graz to broaden his perspective on bodybuilding. A decade of intense training paid off in pounds. Arnold had increased his weight from 160 pounds to a solid and well-defined 240 pounds, and began dominating the bodybuilding stage becoming the rage of Europe and winning every amateur title for which he had the chance(Lincoln 77).

His intense training style and hunger for success could be seen in one of his daily workouts. He attributes much of his success to his vivid visualization techniques. "When I am working my biceps, I have illusions. I picture my arm pumping up and filling the room. It's a crazy thought, but when you want something badly, you always see it bigger than it really is" (Schwarzenegger 151). Eventually his persistence and success caught the attention of promoter and bodybuilding tycoon Joe Weider. With the help of Joe, Schwarzenegger could finally make a worldwide name for himself. In exchange for an endorsement of Weider's training and exercise equipment, Arnold was brought to the United States, the most famous country for bodybuilding (Lincoln 75). It was not long before Arnold, taking full advantage of his opportunity, turned pro. This was the dawning of a new era for Arnold Schwarzenegger. His career was filled with many accomplishments and unprecedented victories. After dominating the world of bodybuilding in 1976, Arnold retired from competitive bodybuilding to follow a different calling as an actor (Lincoln 77). However, this was not the end of Arnold Schwarzenegger and the impact he had on society. For years to come society would feel the touch of his extremely considerable predominance in both acting as well as bodybuilding.

Without his many profound accomplishments it would have been impossible for Schwarzenegger to elevate bodybuilding and fitness to the new heights it saw during his reign, and for him to have the impact on society that he did. It was his accomplishments that made his name truly a dinner table name. Without accomplishments considered impressive by society, it is difficult for an individual to become influential. Accomplishment could have been Arnold's middle name as you can see by his success story, which is described by M.G. Stoddard as one "that millions of once impoverished immigrants to our "golden door" have envisioned" (42). The reason for his many accomplishments was that Arnold always had a plan and always thought big (O'Connell 63). At the age of 20 he became the youngest Mr. Universe ever (Hall 88). By his mid-20's, he reigned as the number-one bodybuilder in the world (Lincoln 74). He was also in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the most perfectly developed physique in the world (Schwarz.com).

Arnold's bodybuilding success came so quickly because he knew what he had to do to be number-one from the beginning. He did not fall into the various traps that so many new bodybuilders do. Like any true gym warrior Arnold knew there were no shortcuts to success so he took the quickest root to any destination a straight line. He once wisely said, "forget the notion of shortcuts and mystical exercises. Expect to train hard, and over time your hard work will pay off in dividends (Arnold)." His success also came from his young understanding that to be successful in the sport, all body parts must be artfully sculpted into a well-proportioned whole. He knew it would take years of daily intense workouts, an unbreakable physical and mental discipline, and a strict, clean, and hard followed diet regimen (Bebbington 36).
In addition to success in his physique and body opposition events, he created a competition of his own. It is known as the Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic, and is one of the most famous bodybuilding competitions in the world. It has been held on the twenty-second day of February every year since 1989 with grand prize swelling from an initial $1,000 all the way to a very worthy $100,000 going to the big winner (Classic). It is not difficult to name a few of his past competitive successes that brought his name to the forefront of the bodybuilding scene. He was runner up at the Steiner Hof Competition in 1963; in 1965 he was the winner of the Junior Mr. Europe; he was the winner of the 1966 International Powerlifting Championships in Germany. That same year he was also Mr. Europe and Mr. Universe. He took the title of Mr. Universe again the following year. In the next eight years he would go on to win another 16 competitions including one Mr. World victory, five Mr. Universe victories, and the most impressive seven Mr. Olympia titles (Bodybuilding).

These victories gave him the name he needed to start laying the foundation of influence that he had been building and would continue to build over modern culture. Starting in 1970 with Hercules in New York, Arnold has starred in over 27 movies including the likes of Pumping Iron in 1977, Conan the Barbarian in 1981, The Terminator in 1984, The Running Man in 1987, Twins in 1988 and True Lies in 1994 (Bodybuilding). These movies were very important in getting his name out to the public and throwing bodybuilding in the faces of the population. With his bodybuilding successes, the seeds of influence had been planted. It was his acting career, however, that allowed that influence to grow. He also spread his word with his writing. His most famous book, which still sells just as good today as it did when it was released, is called New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding (Bodybuilding).

New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding

What made one man experience this kind of success? He was able to make such great improvements because he figured out early on that "bodybuilding is a 3D sport that requires extreme dedication, discipline, and drive," and that there are no shortcuts or secret formulas and supplements (Schwarzenegger 186).

Over the past few decades bodybuilding and fitness have soared to popularity heights never imagined leaving skeptics and all other opposition in the dust. Much of that change can be attributed to the Austrian, Arnold Schwarzenegger. "Before Arnold, bodybuilding had been around the whole century but didn't gain much popularity until Arnold thrust it into the public consciousness, legitimizing the sport" and positioning it as a healthy activity for anyone (Greatest Bodies; Brown). Early on he appeared at exhibitions and classes around the world and worked as an associate editor of a muscle-building magazine to help spread the good word of health and bodybuilding and transforming the image of the sport (Lincoln 76; Hall 74). With all of his work and support of bodybuilding, Arnold Schwarzenegger almost "single-handedly" propelled bodybuilding out of obscurity (Bebbington 36). "His tireless support and charisma spurred the evolution of bodybuilding from a cheesy sideshow marked by paltry cash prizes to a full-fledged professional sport offering top-dollar awards" (Hall 76). Prizes jumped to $50,000 back in 1986 as Schwarzenegger and his business partner Jim Lorimer began promoting the Mr. Olympia (Bebbington 36). This sudden spring in prize money encouraged a plethora of young new talented athletes to take the stage. As the Incredible Hulk, Lou Ferrigno recalls, before Arnold "it was more like a shadow sport. It was like a freak show, and it's not a freak show anymore. The fact is that the mainstream got involved.…"

Before the publication and release of his book and movie Pumping Iron, bodybuilding was still "what they say… in the closet" (Greatest Bodies). This is just another of many examples of how Arnold Schwarzenegger had a long lasting impact on the world of bodybuilding and on fitness in society. After retiring from competition, he met with Jim Lorimer to create and promote his own contest known as the Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic, one of bodybuilding's premier events. It has been said that the Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic brings together the past and future of pro bodybuilding, cashing in on "the marquee value of the legend himself-the man that brought a personable manner, quick one-liners, and gigantic muscles to bodybuilding" (Bebbington 36).
The Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic itself forever changed the image of bodybuilding (Hall 78). The competition sees sellout crowds of more than 40,000 avid fans who pay up to 250 dollars per ticket. Arnold thinks that the sport will continue to grow if it is promoted as a recreational sport like swimming, basketball, and tennis (Bebbington 36). To further promote exercise, fitness, and bodybuilding many side events take place at the Schwarzenegger Classic. To name a few there is an arm-wrestling tournament, Fitness International, Ms. International, Martial Arts Festival, Arnold Gymnastics Challenge, Arnold Classic Training Seminar, Cheerleading Classic and Dance Team Competition, Dragon Radovic Challenge, 5K Pump and Run, and Fitness Fashion show (Classic). He also poses for photos with fans to keep them encouraged.
In a recent survey he was named the most influential fitness personality of the millennium and the person most responsible for the fitness revolution. He effortlessly out placed runners up Richard Simmons, Jane Fonda, and Jack LaLanne, taking 36% of the total votes distributed to the 21 nominees (Braun). To further his influence he worked as chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports from 1990-1994 (Stoddard 42). He is spreading the healthiness of bodybuilding by working with inner-city kids and teaching them about weight lifting (O'Connell 64). He urges gym owners to open their gyms to and encourage seniors, children, inner-city youth, and Native Americans. He is trying to get health club owners to begin conducting classes for senior citizens especially (Bebbington 36).

During his term as chairman he also organized and held the Great American Workout. It's purpose was to raise the consciousness of Americans on the importance of exercise and physical fitness, clearly indicating his insatiable love for the sport and his long lasting impact. During this event, he filled the south lawn of the Whitehouse with various sports celebrities, amateur athletes, and a grand fitness launch. The lawn was filled with the likes of Mary Lou Retton, Arthur Ashe, Sam Snead, Jane Blalock, Bruce Jenner, Scott Hamilton, Dorothy Hamill, Eric Dickerson, Jack LaLanne, and Louis Sullivan, Secretary of Health and Human Services, to name a few. In addition to the event, Arnold came up with some new phrases to help the fitness craze stick in the minds of the people. "Fitness is fun and fitness is for everyone" and "Read my hips; No More fat" were spoken by the man who's accent can only be imitated but not duplicated. "We vant you all to pump up to lose those extra inches, to get fit, and to begin right now!" was another line uttered by the Austrian Oak. President Bush was very impressed with Arnold's seriousness, compassion, and determination to set a good example (Stoddard 42). With his deep history of accomplishments and his desire to change society by bringing about a consciousness of bodybuilding, exercise, and fitness, his persona has truly been intricately woven into the fabric of modern society (Hall 94).

Bodybuilding and fitness today is much a product of it's recent past and the works of Arnold Schwarzenegger. It has come a long way since Charles Atlas beckoned 90-pound weaklings in the back of dime magazines (Bebbington 36). Bodybuilders are bigger and leaner than ever, contests are beginning to be televised, and the fans are piling in. Today the Arnold Fitness weekend draws more than 40,000 people making it the most popular bodybuilding event in the world (Hall 80). In addition, since the 1960's bodybuilding has become a means to fitness, strength, and increased athletic performance in other sports. Home gyms are everywhere and more Americans train, are going to gyms, health clubs, and working out. Correspondingly the gym and supplement industries are flourishing (Hall 82). World renowned weightlifting guru Mike Katz has people in their 70's and 80's training with weights and conditioning at his World Gyms in Connecticut (Bebbington 36).

Presently bodybuilding is accepted as an official sport, and has been accepted by the Olympic Committee. Moreover, cash prizes are through the roof, and "the new generation of bodybuilders is as fired up about fitness as physique" (Hall 82; Bebbington 36). People from all ends of the characteristic scale including the young and old, brawny and lean, and male and female enjoy the sport. Fairly recently bodybuilding has even emerged a new division of women's bodybuilding. Former Ms. Olympians such as Cory Everson and Tanya Knight have seen success in this area and drew their own crowds of fans. The success seen by the sport is largely a result of marketing efforts, but even more largely the result of an even larger man; the man with 22 inch guns, a 57 inch barrel chest, 28.5 inch tree trunk thighs, and 20 inch calves the size of cows; the Austrian Oak, Arnold Schwarzenegger (Bebbington 64; Bodybuilding).
It is difficult to understand the profound influence that a single man can have over an entire population of people. Throughout the world Arnold Schwarzenegger is known as the charismatic bodybuilder, committed actor, and extreme motivator that he has built himself up to be. When Arnold began bodybuilding at the age of 15 he did not only begin to build his body, but his character, his reputation, his individuality, and his strong ever-lasting influence. His effect on society was an extremely positive one and one that will be felt for many years to come as family, races, and nations project themselves forward with healthy lives of exercising and fitness. The sport of bodybuilding has been set in motion and will continue to grow as it is pressed onward through the unending strength of time.

Works Cited"The Arnold Classic." 7 Jan. 2002. Online. Internet. 7 Jan. 2002.Bebbington, Jim. "Getting Classic With Arnold." Saturday Evening Post Jul. 1993."Bodybuilders.com - Arnold Schwarzenegger." 16 Sep. 1999. Online. Internet.10 Jan. 2002.Braun V., Lori. "Bodybuilding." 12 Nov. 2000. Online. Internet.10 Jan. 2002.The Greatest Bodies. Prod. Robert Bahedry. TLC Home Video, 2001.Hall L., Lynne. "Classic Arnold." Physical March 2001. 74+.The Lincoln Library of Sports Champions. Vol. 16 Columbus: 1989O'Connell, Jeff. "End of Days." Muscle & Fitness Jan 2000: 62-65.Stoddard, M.G. "Marketing Fitness With the President and Arnold Schwarzenegger."Saturday Evening Post Aug. 1990.Schwarzenegger, Arnold. "The Flex Gun Club." FLEX Apr. 2001: 151---. "The Shortcut to Muscular Growth." Muscle & Fitness Aug. 1997: 186."Schwarzenegger.com" 7 Jan. 2002. Online. Internet.7 Jan. 2002.Thanks,

Anthony Church

2006-08-23T14:01:00.000+08:00

The Europa Super Show & Sports Expo is to be held on the 25th and 26th of August this year. The show features IFBB Professional Bodybuilding as well as NPC competitions. Additionally, there are several other entertaining events that one can attend. They include strongman challenges, arm wrestling, swimsuit contests, world powerlifting and full submission wrestling championships. There's even a hot mom contest.

Most of the events taking place offer cash prizes for winners. However, the show focuses on IFBB Professional men and women's bodybuilding, and also women's fitness and figure competitions. The prize money for these events are as follows:

IFBB Pro Women's Bodybuilding, Fitness, and Figure:

1st - $3,000
2nd - $2,000
3rd - $1,000

IFBB Pro Men's Bodybuilding:

1st - $10,000
2nd - $5,000
3rd - $3,000
4th - $2,000
5th - $1,000

Other Awards:

A trophy for best routine will be presented in all events, except women's figure. Here, the Horizon Award is given to the competitor who does not place in the top three, but she is acknowledged as a "rising star" in light of her accomplishments.

As we can see, the main attraction of the 2006 Europa Super Show is the IFBB Men's Professional Bodybuilding contest. This event holds the biggest prize money, possibly because it features the biggest competitors. Some of the names entering this show are familiar, and others not, but the whole list is the following.

IFBB Pro Competitor List:

*Note: This list is not final and subject to change. Last updated: 8/10/06

Men:
1. Art Atwood2. Darrem Charles3. Shehab Eldin4. George Farah5. Dave Fisher6. Toney Freeman7. Roland Huff8. Johnnie Jackson9. Tricky Jackson10. King Kamali11. Frank Roberson12. Silvo Samuel Saviour13. Rodney St. Cloud14. Joel Stubbs15. Quincy Taylor16. George Turmon17. Dennis Wolf18. Nathan Wonsley

While only the top 5 positions will be granted any prize money, it's still an honor to be placed within the top 10. So without further ado, I offer my critique of each of the competitors followed by how I think the placings will go.

Art Atwood:

With Art, there's 278-287 pounds of muscle standing at 5'11." He's one of the more massive bodybuilders with good peaks in his back double biceps pose and excellent fitness in his lower back. His frame is built with a good V-taper, but his traps seem a little flat.
Otherwise, he has a wide symmetry and good sweep in his legs that will put him around the top 5. His only weakness seems to be that his massiveness gives him a more bulky look and is not as aesthetic from the front as other competitors.

Darrem Charles:

He's been participating in contests since 1989 and has the experience and muscle maturity to steal the show. He is 5'9" and around 230 pounds. This may make him sound less massive than some other competitors, but he is definitely more proportionally pleasing, with full muscle bellies that certainly make him look just as big as the others. The only gripe I have is that his traps look a little flat sometimes, but they still work well with the rest of his body.

When well conditioned, Darrem Charles has virtually no weaknesses on stage. He is consistently confident and exact in his pre-contest preparation and puts much work into creating an inspirational posing routine. He will definitely be one of the best in this show.

Shehab Eldin:

Eldin looks to have a stronger and fuller chest than most, but conditioning does not seem to come naturally to him. He could also use more sweep in the legs and work harder to bring his calves up. These downfalls would be enough to put him outside of the top 10.

George Farah:

Being 5'6" and 214 pounds, George Farah is one of the smaller participants. His abs are far from being well developed, but his stomach is controlled and flat. He is proportionally sound with a good sweep in the legs, wide lats, and big biceps peak. However, he is weak in the calves and traps departments. His weaknesses and smaller frame will likely place him outside of the top 10.

Dave Fisher:

It was difficult to find much information about him, but he does look to be toting a decent frame with much mass. His nature seems to be blocky, however, and will keep him from being one of the best. Fisher will most likely finish just shy of 10th.

Toney Freeman:

At 283 pounds and 6'2," Freeman has an excellent waist. The sweep in his legs with wide lats and shoulders create an awesome illusion of a small waistline. His traps are much more massive than found elsewhere, but he seems to have some problems with conditioning and his calves do not look very good from some viewing angles. However, during his peaks, he is ripped, yet still extremely full and could easily place around 5th.

Roland Huff:

New to the pro scene after winning 1st in the 2005 Nationals, Bantam Weight, Roland Huff is smaller and lacks somewhat in back development. With less experience, he will probably not see the top 10.

Johnnie Jackson:

He claims to be the strongest bodybuilder, pound for pound. Judges won't care how much he can lift, but still he brings around 240 pounds in good shape for contests. Most everything about him seems well developed, especially his dense chest that does not disappear with arms raised. His legs have an outer sweep and hanging hamstrings.

With a midsection that he obviously knows how to control during poses and massive traps, he has most everyone else bested. Weakness is only seen in his calves, which are not at all impressive from a side glance, but he should be able to make it to the top 5 in this lineup.

Tricky Jackson:

Starting competition as an IFBB pro last year, Tricky has a good physique, but with several lacking areas. These include his calves, awkward chest, biceps peak, and flat traps. His main strength is that his frame is in the shape of an X, and gives him a small looking waist. However, it's probably not enough to put him into the top 10.

King Kamali:

One of the more outspoken bodybuilders, King Kamali's posing routines are often very unique and bring significantly more entertainment value than others. Recently, he's stated that he's been trying to change his physique to be more proportionally pleasant. This requires him to train with a different style than he's done in the past: smarter rather than heavier.

His strength lies in the dense, massive, and confident look he brings to the stage. A few weaknesses include his calves and not having full control over his stomach. He is lean, but his waist is bigger than other competitors, giving him a completely different look. It's a strong look rather than an aesthetic look, but his experience and maturity should be able to put him near the top 5.

Frank Roberson:

He made his IFBB debut in 2004 and will bring about 240 pounds to the show, placing more emphasis on entertainment value in his routine. This, along with his dense, full physique should put him in the top 10. He actually has strong calves, unlike many others. However, in the past he could have used better definition and more lines in his legs.

Silvo Samuel Saviour:

Not much information could be found about him, except that he recently stepped up to the professional level. Because of these reasons, he can't be placed inside the top 10.

Rodney St. Cloud:

One of the more interesting bodybuilders to say the least. He is also a firefighter and professional exotic dancer, and shows much talent in putting together interesting posing routines. He has mediocre calves, but everything else is well developed. The complete package of his routine and physique should be enough to put "Hot Rod" in the top 10.

Joel Stubbs:

Joel Stubbs is proclaimed to have one of the best backs ever, and it very well could be true. It's full, complete, solid, and defined. His awesome upper body does much for his physique to make him look massive and wide, but his legs are lacking. Because of these disproportions, he has the potential to place somewhere close to 10th.

Quincy Taylor:

He's 6'4" and 290 lbs at contest. A pretty massive competitor and also the 2001 NPC USA champ. He has since been competing as an IFBB pro. Any weaknesses he might have are hidden well on his enormous frame and physique. His main focus should be on definition and conditioning which can be a downfall at his weight. He should strive for more cuts and lines in his legs than what he's had before and he'll easily place in the top 10.

George Turmon:

Having been competing in the IFBB since 2003, he seems to have a lot more weaknesses than others. Some of these would be his calves and legs which could both use more work. Also, he could learn to better control his stomach during poses, and keep it from becoming loose and rounded.

Dennis Wolf:

Competing in the IFBB since 1999, he has done exceedingly well over the years. Being the 2005 IFBB World Champion and overall winner, his success seems to be from consistently being in peak condition for shows. He presents a physique that is big, balanced and clean. There's no weakness to keep this man outside of the top 5.

Nathan Wonsley:

This former Tampa Bay running back got his pro card at the 2005 NPC Masters Nationals. To me, he seems to have a good look to his shoulders and arms, but his traps are a little flat and his chest could be more developed. He weighs around 220, but his muscles are full and carried better on his frame than most heavier competitors. However, his lack of experience in achieving a good balance between mass and definition will probably put him close to 10th place.

Sean Toh

Welcome 8 Times Mr Olympia : The Indestructible Ronnie Coleman

2006-08-23T10:41:00.000+08:00

The seemingly indestructible eight-time Mr. Olympia, Ronnie Coleman, has promised to achieve the greatest feat in living bodybuilding history come September 29 - win a ninth Mr. Olympia title to eclipse the eight-win record he shares with the great Lee Haney.

As usual, Ronnie is very confident this time around - a trait that has helped him to claw his way from near obscurity in the early 90's to the pinnacle of men's professional bodybuilding.
As an eight-time Mr. Olympia winner, Ronnie feels he has proven himself as a worthy champion, one who is, in his words, nearly a decade ahead of the competition. Indeed, the statement "Ronnie Coleman is from another planet in terms of muscle size and conditioning" has become the most used cliché in recent bodybuilding history.

That Ronnie is so far ahead of the competition is no mistake. His bodybuilding career is his life and he lives to improve his physique to the point where previous showings are surpassed with a new and improved package each and every time.

With his popularity and monstrous development leading the way, Ronnie will go down in history as being one of, if not the greatest bodybuilder of all time. Will Ronnie change the record books come September 29? Don't bet against it.

As an ambassador of the sport Ronnie remains a true bodybuilding professional in every sense of the word. His 24-hour-a-day commitment to establishing himself as a man whom many are heralding as the greatest pro ever is commendable. In the following interview Ronnie talks about his plans for the 2006 Olympia and gives an update on his life in bodybuilding.

[ Q ] Ronnie. Predictions regarding this year's Olympia result are varied. Many say you will again win to set a new record. Others say it is time for a changing of the guard. How do you feel going into the 2006 Olympia?

[ A ] People usually say it's time for a changing of the guard if they expect "the guard" to stay around... to win again. So basically what you're saying is that just about everyone expects me to win. That sounds about right.
Kidding aside, I feel confident that I'll "Finish First" in classic BSN style. Having won eight O's already, I've got it down to a rhythm. Nothing can stand in my way once I'm in that rhythm.

[ Q ] Do you think there will be any major threat to your title, or anyone who will come close to taking it from you?

[ A ] The only way I could lose it is if after they hand me the trophy some lunatic jumps onto the stage, grabs it out of my hand, and takes off. We all know that's not gonna happen.

[ Q ] This year what can we expect to see from Ronnie Coleman as far as size and shape go? What improvements do you expect to show onstage?

[ A ] You can expect me to make improvements that will give me more than enough of a margin to win. That's a given.

[ Q ] Have you made any changes to your training program? If so, what are these and what results are they expected to achieve?

[ A ] I'm training only one day a week. My workouts last about 15 minutes. I rest about 10 seconds between sets. That's it.
Am I pulling your chain? Maybe. I won't talk about my training much. That would be like a top chef sharing his most prized recipe with you. I can't do that. Just expect me to win. That will be the result achieved.

[ Q ] Describe your diet and supplementation program. Again, did you make any changes compared to last year?

[ A ] I can share this with you. I'm using SYNTHA-6TM right up to the show. BSN hit a home run with this stuff. It's the only protein I've ever been able to use four to five times a day without feeling stuffed or bloated. I love it. The strawberry flavor tastes like strawberry milk. It's amazing.

Other than SYNTHA-6, I'm taking plenty of CELLMASSTM to keep my strength and power through the roof, N.O.-XPLODETM before I train, and NITRIXTM all day long. I go through those big 360 bottles of NITRIX like crazy 'cause I rely on it so much to stay vascular.
Like my training program, as far as the details of my diet program go, I won't talk about it. Trade secrets, you know?

[ Q ] Last year you showed you were the worthy champion with a physique that blew everyone away. Do you think you could go on to win several Olympia's, should you choose to do this? Are you that far ahead of the competition?

[ A ] Well, I've already won several Olympias. Even if you're not a bodybuilder, you can appreciate the significance of winning eight world titles. My track record is the proof in the pudding - proof that I am way far ahead of the competition - nearly a decade ahead!

[ Q ] Should you win this year, will you compete in next year's event?

[ A ] It's certainly possible.

[ Q ] How does it feel to be on the verge of making history by beating the record Lee Haney set in 1991? Do you feel any added pressure going into the 2006 Olympia?

[ A ] It's motivating to know that I'm going to be the first person in history to win nine Olympias. But there's no more pressure than I usually put on myself. I make myself stay in my rhythm of meals, training, supplements, sleeping. A few months before the show I go on lockdown and shut myself into my house. It's like "Fort Ronnie." As long as BSN keeps shipping me my supplements every month, I've got everything I need there.

[ Q ] What are you weighing right now, and what do you plan on weighing when you step foot onstage come September 28?

[ A ] Again, I won't reveal my recipe, only the final outcome - that I'll win.

[ Q ] How is life for you, right now? What is life like for an eight time Mr. Olympia compared to the average person?

[ A ] My life is my career at this point. I live a very structured life. I clock in each day, and go through my routine. Then I clock out - literally - when I go to bed. When I wake up the next day I start it all over again.

[ Q ] There has been talk that you are very disciplined in the way you live the life as a pro bodybuilder. What keeps you passionate about what you do?

[ A ] Like I said, being the greatest bodybuilder on the planet is my life and career right now. Knowing that I'm on top and wanting to stay there gives me fuel each day to stay in the rhythm and not lose focus.

[ Q ] What special attributes do you have that make you the kind of champion you are today?

[ A ] You said it yourself: discipline. That's what it comes down to. Once you find your rhythm - the pattern of training, diet and supplements that works for you - you can't help but make progress. But it takes discipline to figure out what your rhythm needs to be, and even more discipline to stay in it.

[ Q ] What are some of the factors that have shaped your competitive mindset? Does a champion have a special gift for focusing their energies into their sport?

[ A ] I'm not really sure what shaped my competitive mindset. I've always been able to discipline myself. I don't know any other way of approaching things. I can't speak for anyone else and their mindset. I can only look through my own eyes. It would seem to me that discipline is really important, if not essential.

[ Q ] When you eventually retire, how would you like to be remembered?

[ A ] For continuing to improve when most people didn't think it was possible anymore. That's what I do year after year to win the title. You'd think that your muscles would reach a limit where they can't get any bigger, harder, more cut, but I continue to improve in all of these ways and more. Every year I raise the bar higher.

[ Q ] What has been your greatest moment in bodybuilding, and why?

[ A ] My greatest moment in bodybuilding is, by far, winning my very first Mr. Olympia. The reason why is because I never really thought it was possible to win the Mr. Olympia. My biggest goal was to place in the top 5 and that's all I thought was possible for me, but for me to win was definitely overwhelming and very unexpected. It just goes to show that we are not in control of our own destiny like we would like to be. God is in control and decides what he wants us to do in life.

[ Q ] All the best for the Olympia Ronnie. Is there anything you would like to say to your many fans?

[ A ] Thanks. Yeah... I want to tell everyone to drop by the BSN booth at the Olympia. There are going to be some cool surprises waiting for you there this year. Expect the unexpected.

David Robson

Profile of Dexter Jackson

2006-08-22T22:36:00.000+08:00

Vital Stats
Name: Dexter Jackson
Born: November 25, 1969
Height: 5'6"
Off Season Weight: 230-235 pounds
Competition Weight: 215 pounds
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown
Current Residence: Jacksonville, Florida
Best body parts: Back, Hamstring & Glute's
Favorite exercise: Chest & Triceps
Least favorite exercise: Calves
Favorite Movie: Menace II Society
Favorite Actors: Robert Deniro & Al Pacino
Favorite foods: Chinese & Italian
Favorite TV shows: Martin and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Favorite Automobile: Dodge Viper
Favorite Music Groups: Mariah Carey, Brian McNight, Cisco, Jay Z, DMX, Notorious BIG, Dr. Dre and Mary J. Blige
Competitive Record
2002 Grand Prix England - 1st
2002 Grand Prix Holland - 3rd
2002 Mr. Olympia - 4th
2002 AUSTRALIA PRO INVITATIONAL - 2nd
2002 AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX - 2nd
2002 SAN FRANCISCO GRAND PRIX - 3rd
2002 IFBB Arnold Classic - 3rd
2001 British Grand Prix - 4th
2001 Mr. Olympia - 8th
2001 Toronto Pro Invitational - IFBB, 2nd
2001 Night of Champions - IFBB, 2nd
2001 Grand Prix Hungary - IFBB, 3rd
2001 Grand Prix Australia - IFBB, 3rd
2001 Arnold Classic - IFBB, 5th
2000 Toronto Pro Invitational - IFBB, 2nd
2000 Olympia - IFBB, 9th
2000 Night of Champions - IFBB, 8th
2000 Ironman Pro Invitational - IFBB, 3rd
2000 Grand Prix Hungary - IFBB, 2nd
2000 Arnold Classic - IFBB, 5th
1999 Pro World Championships - IFBB, 4th
1999 Olympia - IFBB, 9th
1999 Night of Champions - IFBB, 3rd
1999 Grand Prix England - IFBB, 4th
1999 Arnold Classic - IFBB, 7th
1998 North American Championships - IFBB, Light-HeavyWeight, 1st
1998 North American Championships - IFBB, Overall Winner
1996 Nationals - NPC, Light-HeavyWeight, 6th
1995 USA Championships - NPC, Light-HeavyWeight, 1st

Dexter Jackson

Colorado Pro/Am Review

2006-08-19T23:07:00.000+08:00

Looking back on my first Pro/Am Classic promotion, I realized how grateful I am to have friends, sponsors and athletes I've grown up with over the last 20 years in the sport supporting my efforts.

I especially appreciate the friends I've made in the last couple of years since my retirement from competition, who helped make this show a roaring success! My company, Vyo-Tech Nutritionals, my partner, Colorado District Chairman, Jeff Taylor are nothing short of amazing when it comes to the details and behind-the-scenes aspects of putting together a first class team!I went into this project knowing all the things I love about our sport and the things I hate about it. Looking at it from different perspectives certainly helped - as a professional athlete competing in the show, to a fan watching the show and a promoter promoting a show.I tried to cover all the areas of promotion for everyone involved to make a memorable event impressionable so that everyone would want to come back and take part year after year!

We had the most competitive line-up in many years regarding our top 10 athletes! New comers, Phil Heath, Bill Wilmore and Marcus Haley made the show worth attending, as these guys have great futures ahead of them! Some cagey veterans of the IFBB - Darrem Charles, Rodney St. Cloud, Jason Arntz and the return of Gary Strydom really made things interesting!

I have signed on for the next 2 years to continue to follow my dream of promoting our sport! Next year we will be back in action and possibly adding an IFBB Pro Fitness competition to the roster for Friday night, along with championship arm wrestling, gymnastics, wrestling and karate during the EXPO!

The Contest Winner:

Phil Heath did not surprise many people who knew him. He continued his winning streak of 6 in a row, as he served notice to many IFBB Pro's out there by beating a good line up of athletes including a "Peaked" Darrem Charles!

My personal opinion of Phil is that if he shows up at the Mr. Olympia in this kind of condition and shape he would rest comfortably in the top 3 and give Jay Cutler all he could handle. I think he has what it takes to replace a guy like Ronnie Coleman atop the Olympia Seat and has Father Time on his side due to his young age of 26!

Congratulations to all our raffle winners of the prizes (Cell Phones, iPods, Dinner Certificates, Contest Tickets, DVD Player, CD Player, Magazine Subscriptions, Sponsor Packages and more), including Jim Bluff from Utah for winning the 2006 Hummer H3!

Conclusion

Overall, I had the time of my life, impacting other people's lives through this promotion. Bringing BIG TIME Bodybuilding to a state like Colorado is exciting because the people are so nice and into fitness! I hope I am part of the process in "Raising the Bar" for contest promotions & prizes. This is also why Jeff Taylor & Co. deserve a lot of recognition for their role in making this show a success!

We intend to add 1000 people per/yr in the seats until we are at Full Capacity of 5000 Fans watching this event!

We will be back June 1st & 2nd of 2007!Thank you,

Shawn Ray