Muscleweek’s very own Senor Editor, Shane Ray has been one busy man. Between flying out to Las Vegas for nights on the town with Muscleweek sponsored model, Gizel Rodriguez and traveling the East Coast covering the Victor Martinez story it came as much relief when the Muscleweek Boss asked Shane if he would like to interview anybody in his hometown of Chicago, Illinois. Only one person came to mind: Erick Seng.

On Muscleweek’s expense account Shane Ray sat down with one of Chicago’s finest at Gibson’s Steak House on Rush st. where they dined on premium ribeye and New York strips while sipping on Merlot discussing the city, the Chicago Police Department and what bodybuilding means to Erick Seng himself. 

Officer Seng. Welcome to Muscleweek. First thing is first. How the heck did a St. Patrick’s (highschool) kid from Chicago’s Northside get into this whole mess of competitive bodybuilding? natural transgression from sports or was sand kicked in your face once at North Ave Beach. Like me. 

I’d say a natural transgression from sports. I was always active, but once I went to college (Western Illinois) and began to work at Powerhouse Gym (Elston&Lawrence) I got pulled into the world of bodybuilding. My first show was when I was a sophomore in college at 19, way back in 1997.

You’ve been very popular in the Chicagoland bodybuilding scene for a long time. What are your thoughts on the culture of the scene in the same city you protect? Is it as popular as it was during our glory years of 2001-2009?

LOL. I don’t think I’m popular or anything special! I just think of myself as a work-out guy who’s been competing for a long time! I think that bodybuilding isn’t as popular or hardcore as it was when I started. I remember Espn carrying the NPC National-level shows and Ifbb shows on television. The first time I saw Kevin Levrone on television was on Espn competing at the 1995 Olympia, and I was like I want to look like that! We used to have MuscleMag stores in the area to get your posing trunks and bodybuilding gear. We also actually had Powerhouse Gyms and Gnc’s that were actually geared towards bodybuilding. When I worked at the elston Powerhouse, we used to play the Mr.Olympias on all the t.v’s and you always had guys getting ready for either the Illinois or the Ironman. Those were the only 2 shows that mattered to anyone.

Now with Cross-Fit and things like MMA, it seems like the fitness industry is blowing up, but the old-school bodybuilding gym guys are kind of dying off. You don’t have the hardcore guys around in one gym. You don’t have the gym characters like the Mike Hamilton’s or Sam Urbach’s of the world.  You don’t have guys that were really hardcore with their training… Now a days it’s a bunch people jumping around, punching bags, using ropes and doing some weird shit to get in shape!

What are your best memories as a bodybuilder? I remember you standing next to being compared to Phil Heath at the 2005 Jr. Nationals. I’d have to say that was one of them, right? 

Yeah, I’d have to say getting 3rd at the Juniors in ’05 and getting called out in the first call out with just Heath was probably the best bodyduilding moment. I remember it like yesterday and I think that was obviously my best look I’ve ever had on stage. I’d say winning the Overall at the Ironman in 06 was big for me because that was always such a big deal with the guys I worked out with. If you won the Overall at the Illinois or the Ironman you were a good bodybuilder and gained a little gym cred. The other big thing for me was shooting for Muscle n Fitness. I remember reading the magazines when I first started, and to actually see myself in an issue was pretty cool. I was so lucky to get that opportunity.

Erick. You are endorsed by MHP. How has Gerard Dente and his company treated you all of this time? What do you like most about the company?  

Gerard Dente is one of the best people I’ve ever met in the fitness industry. He has always been great to me and treated me like family since I met him in 2002. I was super lucky to meet him and get the opportunity to be in some ads and work for them on the side. I feel like I have a second set of family and friends with the guys in New Jersey that work for MHP. The best part about MHP is that I really live off their products and stand behind them! Gerard always puts out products that not only work, but really benefit the serious athlete. I bleed blue and yellow!

It is no secret that you are a Chicago Police Officer. For those reading this who doesn’t know Chicago like we do is The City of Big Shoulders as dangerous as it’s reputation? Media hype or lock your car doors no matter which neighborhood you drive through? 

I always say that things can happen in any place at anytime. In any big city, you’ll always have your good parts and shady parts. Chicago obviously has some rough areas, but its about being aware of your surroundings at all times. If you’re on the west or south sides of Chicago, you obviously have to keep your eyes open. But on the other hand, compared to some of the other cities I’ve had the chance to visit like Detroit, Newark, parts of L.A. and Miami, I’d say that Chicago on the whole is safe and one of the best cities in the world.

What made you want to be a police officer? Please don’t tell me because Ronnie Coleman once was.

No. I’ve always wanted to work for Chicago. I’ve had family and life-long friends that were on the job, and its just something I’ve always wanted to do since I can remember.

Erick. Most serious competitive bodybuilders would rather not work a job like being a cop in a big city nor not even hold down a job at all for that matter just so they can strictly focus on their protein intake and their next workout. How were you not able to get sucked into the scene so hard like many we know and keep yourself so level headed putting a career in front of their next show?

It’s what you make of it and how you approach the sport. If you want to go out and put everything into becoming a pro, do it. I would never discourage anyone from doing anything they want to pursue as far as a career choice. You have to do what makes you happy, but at the same time, you have to keep things in perspective and be smart about the decisions you make. If you’re someone that has horrible genetics and $20 in your savings, making a run at the Ifbb might not be the best route for you. Bodybuilding and working out is a passion of mine, but it’s a hobby to me first and foremost. I think by having my career and bodybuilding as hobby, they both automatically balance out my life because neither takes it over completely!

I have to imagine dieting for a show and working long days through a long work week is tough. Believe me, I know. How do you get through a prep when timing is essentially everything. It isn’t like you can tell your sargent to hold while you get in your next meal. How do you adapt? 

Dieting is hard period. It can be a little tougher with work, but I try not to let it bother me and just roll with the punches. Everyone I have worked for and with have always been beyond supportive. They’ve encouraged me to do my best and have looked out for my well being! If it gets tough, I always say that I’m competing and dieting because I WANT to compete. No one is forcing you to diet, so why be an asshole and make everyone around you miserable.

Some of your critics have said you could never win a pro card due to the nature of your job. What do you have to say about that?

I’m at the point now in my life where I’m a little older. Competing is even more for fun me now and a tool to motivate myself in the gym. It’s pretty much going to be the Team U, or the masters in a couple years, or some local stuff. If it ever happened great, if it doesn’t great,  but I wouldn’t say it’s the nature of the job as to why I didn’t max out my potential! There’s so many things that go into that process you could never give one reason as to why it happened or why it didn’t. I’ve had a blast with bodybuilding and if I never competed ever again, I’d be happy with what I’ve been able to accomplish!

On the topic of challenges. You are a married man who has a wife also involved with the bodybuilding industry and is a competitor herself. She is also a detective with the Chicago Police Department. Describe how that can be challenging. Ever any fights over the last chicken breast or have you found a way to keep the ship smooth sailing without any “competitive turbulance”. 

There’s never competitive turbulance. I’m the type of guy that doesn’t like drama and will be the last one to start a fight. I think of myself as a very chill and laid back person. You could take the last chicken breast, and you wouldn’t hear a peep outta me! I’d just buy some more food and start cooking!
Facebook is infested to the gills with every weirdo, creeper, schmoe and pervert in the galaxy. Do you often receive private e-mails from these types with bizarre requests or propositions? How do you handle them?

I’ve always gotten weird emails from people all over the world, especially when I was younger and just starting out. I just ignore them, or say thanks but no thanks.

How does the police force treat you because of your size? Sorry but most COPS I see are bloated sacks of shit. Are you the guy they send in first when a door is broken down or when your team has to apprehend a suspect?

Everyone with the force has always been cool and respectful with me. I don’t think of myself as some huge guy though, but I am the “ram” guy for my team when it comes to search warrants which means that I’m the guy breaking down the door! It’s a lot of fun and a rewarding career.

I have to imagine your stature and muscularity can serve you well in your line of work. Has anybody ever surrendered to you immediately or do you find that people you may have to arrest want to step to you more and challenge you to prove something? 

I’ve had both situations. Usually when someone really doesn’t want to go back to jail, it doesn’t matter how big, fast or strong you are, they’re going to run and fight their ass off not to get caught!

Some argue bodybuilding at the higher levels of competition are so over the top with dabbling in illegal activities and using boatloads of illicit drugs. Can one even compete and be competitive anymore these days without it?

I think with what the Pro’s look like, that question kind of answers itself with a probably not. That’s the huge moral question people have to answer if they want to compete competitively at the higher levels of the sport.

What are your thoughts on Men’s Physique? Lots of guys are making the switch and rightfully so. You once told me a judge recently suggested you make the flip and de-muscle a little. Where do you stand with that?

That was brought to my attention last year, but I don’t think that it would be for me. That being said, if someone in the gym came up to me and said they wanted to do Physique, I would say cool and be supportive of that person. It’s a way for the promoters and organization to make more money, and it gives people an option to compete and get in shape with the way the want to look. So even though it’s not me, you won’t hear me bash it either.

Do you work with a nutritionist or do you pretty much do everything yourself?

Yeah I’ve worked with Dr. Willes Ko, my friend, chiropractor and training partner! He is unbelievable with diets and training. I’ve done diets for others and for myself, with me having more success helping others. I think when you do the diet yourself, you over think things and over diet or slack. When someone is advising you, the stress is taken out which makes it easier!

Okay. Who in the industry gets your “blood flowing”. For me it is still Monica Brant. I know there has to be someone that does it for you. 

That’s an easy one, my wife Michele Wood…. Back in the day I remember a girl named Brandy Dahl who was in all the mags, who looked good, but I don’t think she competed.

Supplements. Which are your 3 staples you always use?

MHP- Dark Matter for post workout
MHP- Isofast for my isolate
MHP- Probolic for my night time protein!

Where does Erick Seng see himself in 5 years?

Well, I’d like to be happy, healthy and injury free with hopefully a growing family!

So what is next for you? Rumors around XSport tell me that Team Universe or the 2012 North Americans in on your agenda.

No plans… Yet
Is there anything you would like to promote? How would one contact you for endorsements or any opportunity?

Facebook is probably the easiest way to contact me, and MHP has a sick new pre-workout called Fit-x “trainer” and post workout product called Fit-x “power”… Check out getmhp.com!

Bonus Questions.

Favorite Movie:  I have a ton and I don’t think I could name one, but the last good movie I saw was “Drive”, it was a bad-ass flick.

Favorite Chicago Restaurant:  Uncle Juilio’s Hacienda on North Ave and Clybourn

Favorite Song:  Another hard one, but I’ve always been a house music guy. I’d say my favorite three artists right now are Deadmau5, Wolfgang Gartner and Skrillex, who are kind of electro-dubstep-house guys!

Favorite Gym:  Gold’s Gym Venice California

Favorite Exercise:  Deadlifts 

Sox or Cubs:  Cubs

Deep Dish Pizza or Thin Slice:  Absolutely Deep Dish!!!!!

Patrick Arnold Interview

By XfitSpin

MuscleWeek: We want to thank you so much Patrick for taking the time for this interview. We really appreciate it. Jumping right in, what inspired you to start bodybuilding?

PA: I started when I was quite young because my grandfather had some old York Barbell weights that he gave to us kids (me and my brothers). I didn’t know too much about weightlifting back then. We bought a book or two and started doing the exercises we found in there. After Arnold: The Education of a Bodybuilder came out we became big fans of Arnold. Then our training became more sophisticated. We eventually bought a bench and made a gym in our cellar. I also remember that my mom got Prevention Magazine. I’m not even sure if it’s still in publication.

MW: I think it is actually.

PA: Really? Huh. Well, anyway, it got me interested in supplements and the nutritional aspects of training.

MW: So, when you were a teenager just out of high school, going to college. What in the world made you decide to go into Chemistry?

PA: I originally wanted to go into Pharmacy. I was really interested in drugs. How drugs could heal people, and how they worked in the body. I did well in Chemistry in High School and I enjoyed making stuff in lab during class.

MW: What was your first job out of college?

PA: I took a job during college at a company called Uniroyal. It’s a chemical company. I worked as a lab tech in a work study program. I made polymers and polymer precursors. It was really messy and included nasty chemicals.

After I finished school I got a job at a company called GAF which changed its name to ISP and now has a different name. I’m not sure what it is. I worked in a lab and did research mostly for the cosmetic industry. Polymers once again. You know, products that go into hair gels and conditioners. It was boring but I learned a lot about analytical and synthesis techniques.

I had a decent lab and access to other labs and there was a Chemical Library on our floor. That’s where I started looking up all the chemical compositions of steroids and bodybuilding drugs. Since my job was really boring and my boss was never around I started making whatever I wanted, and I’d come back at night and work on stuff. People started catching on. I got caught and lost my job, but I made all kinds of drugs, bodybuilding related and otherwise. Anything I wanted to make I looked it up and figured it out.

After I lost my job I returned to CT and got into the PhD program for Organic Synthesis at UConn. At that time I started fooling around on the internet. This was around 1995 when it was relatively new. I met a lot of people on there like Dan Duchaine, Will Brink, and Bruce Kneller.

MW: Oh Wow! I actually had a question later about how you met Dan. There it is.

PA: I feel like I’m giving you a total biography. Do you want me to keep going?

MW: Definitely, but I’ll ask you a few more things for this interview specifically.

PA: Yeah, maybe you could make the bio into a separate post or something.

MW: That sounds like a great idea. Okay, serious question. If you could go back in time to when Duchaine was still alive knowing what you know now, what would you say to him?

PA: I think I would just tell him that people appreciated very much what he’s done and he inspired a lot of people. I enjoyed working with him, but he was obviously a very tortured man, and I wish that I could have helped him in some way.

MW: What are you working on right now?

PA: I’m doing some very exciting work with ketones. I’m collaborating with a top researcher in that area.

MW: That sounds exciting! Crossfitters love ketones. Probably not like Dave Palumbo loves ketones, but in what capacity?

PA: Products that raise levels of ketones in the body.

MW: What are your goals for Epharm in 2013?

PA: I’m doing a lot of work with natural products like Ursolic acid and I also have a direct sales brand called Prototype Nutrition. I also have a Ursolic acid derivative with high bioavailability that I made into a topical. That is probably my most exciting product right now. It’s all natural and great for losing fat, maintaining muscularity, and endurance. It’s called Ur Spray and is sold through Prototype Nutrition. I also have a version sold through Epharm called Pump Spray.

MW: So, I know you personally don’t Crossfit, but what are your thoughts on the subject?

PA: I saw it awhile ago on ESPN actually. My understanding is that it’s very aerobic, varied, high intensity training. From a cardio fitness aspect it’s probably great, but as far as gaining proficiency at a certain exercise, it’s counterproductive. With crossfit you have to try and learn a million exercises at the same time. However, in order to be good at a complex exercise technique like a power clean you have to build neural pathways by doing the same movements consistently and somewhat exclusively for a while.

MW: Well, they do say they specialize in not specializing, but you think this can actually be a negative thing?

PA: I think Crossfit actually confuses the body to where you’re not proficient at lifts, or it takes you a lot longer to gain that proficiency. I wouldn’t recommend it to beginners. There are too many complex movements that need some dedication to develop the proper technique. Doing something like a snatch when you’ve already done other things, and you’re exhausted, and your form isn’t that great is very dangerous. For someone that knows how to do all the exercises, well I think it’s a good system and people get a hell of a workout.

MW: I agree. I get asked frequently at Crossfit about how to improve one specific movement. I always say, you have to do it, and do it often. You can’t just do it when it pops up once a month in a WOD. For women especially, building that upper body strength takes some serious work and a band won’t get you there in any timely fashion. Anyway, off my soap box.

MW: What are 3 supplements you recommend for anyone training at high intensity 2-5x a week?

PA: I would suggest a protein supplement. Definitely a Multivitamin/Multimineral. Fish Oil obviously, because people who train hard are subject to injury and inflammation that could hinder performance.

I would also add caffeine. It enhances the utilization of fatty acids for fuel, speeds up glycogen replacement after exercise, and decreases perceived exertion and pain during exercise. Not everyone enjoys the effects of stimulants however, and some have personal reasons for avoiding caffeine.

MW: What are your thoughts on the presence of performance enhancing drugs in Crossfit? Is it naïve to think people aren’t cycling in the off season and then coming off to compete in Regionals and the Games?

PA: Whenever there is a substantial reward – a financial reward -there’s going to be people that cheat to win. It’s that way in any sport. There’s no reason to believe that crossfit would be immune to this, especially since its foundation is around weightlifting. These drugs are so engrained in the weight/gym culture that there’s bound to be some people who use them to their advantage. Plus, they’re so easy to use since they only have in-competition testing. If they want to get rid of drugs in the sport I would say stop giving people money when they win.

MW: LOL, that’s kind of funny. I could just see Dave Castro going “Hey crossfitters, I was just kidding about that 250k purse you’ve been gunning for all year.”

PA: If they want to get serious they need to do off season testing like the Olympic anti-doping agencies and model their protocols and use their laboratories. This would be very expensive to implement and I don’t know how crossfitters would feel about it.

MW: There’s an argument out there that steroids or EPO would actually hinder a crossfitter’s performance. What is your response to that?

PA: Track and Field athletes have benefited exponentially from using these drugs. Crossfit wouldn’t be any different. Overuse of anabolic steroids certainly can hinder performance by leading to tightness and excess water retention, and just like in track and field a crossfitter would need to carefully manipulate their drug intake to avoid the negatives.

MW: Muscle Weeker with the screen name “Bruce Berkowitz” wants to know if you ever hear from Bruce Kneller?

PA: Yeah, he just sent me an invitation on LinkedIn. I tried his new protein at the Olympia and I thought it was pretty good. I don’t really compete with him in the industry anymore so we don’t butt heads like we used to.

MW: MuscleWeek Senior Editor Shane Ray wants to know what your thoughts are on SARMS? Before you answer that, what exactly are SARMS?

PA: Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators. Basically, they are the same thing as anabolic steroids but they’ve been designed using computer aided molecular modeling. These models create structures that bind and activate the androgen receptor, which is essentially what steroids do. However these structures are completely different than the classic four fused rings structures of steroids.

In theory the people that developed them thought they would produce the same effect as anabolic steroids while simultaneously avoiding unwanted side effects. Some animal studies suggested this, but the human studies do not. Similar to anabolic steroids they still disrupt your body’s hormone regulation. They also increase liver enzymes and produce abnormalities in blood lipid profiles. Despite their efforts using sophisticated drug design techniques, the developers still can’t really differentiate between therapeutic and toxic effects any more than what was achieved decades ago with anabolic steroids

One interesting aspect is that no one ever uses the word steroids with them. Are they going to be scheduled as anabolic steroids? As it stands presently they’re in a gray area legally. If they become available drugs they’ll be used in patients with age related sarcopenia and cancer, cachexia and what not. I would think at that point they will need to be scheduled because they’ll be abused as steroids are.

MW: Shane also wants to know if you think legal supplements will ever be as good as they were prior to 2004 or the age of prohormones?

PA: No. Unless some monumental discovery is made, but aliens might land here someday too.

MW: Another MuscleWeeker asked what your thoughts are on Lance Armstrong?

PA: I feel as though he was made a scapegoat. He was singled out and it’s sad to see a hero fall like that. I think it’s a little unfair they would go to such extremes to catch him when they didn’t do that to anyone else. Although, I also think he was a fool to continue to compete even though he was being suspected more and more. He was pushing his luck and snubbing his nose at the testing people. If he just retired in 04’ or something he would have been the best ever, but since he didn’t, he made himself more and more vulnerable.

;

MW: The craziest thing you’ve ever seen at the Olympia or Arnold Classic?

PA: I’m going to have to get back to you on that. I’ve seen a lot.

MW: What is the coolest thing a fan has ever sent you?

PA: Someone sent me a watch once and a board rep just sent me some cookies and fudge, and hot dipping sauce for Christmas. I also get letters from people in prison asking me to help them get out. I guess that’s interesting, but I obviously can’t help them.

MW: If you had any dating advice for women who compete in figure/bikini/bodybuilding or even crossfit, what would it be?

PA: When I go to the shows and see the really serious fitness and figure girls, they’re usually dating guys that train them, are also bodybuilders, or men they most likely met at the gym. Their lives are so extreme they probably couldn’t co-exist with someone not in the same lifestyle. If I were a girl I’d shoot for a more interesting life and look for someone that may not be as into competing, perhaps an intellectual. A fitness girl has to look at her practical needs yes, but she also shouldn’t restrict her life to being a hermit and making her whole existence about training, broccoli, and tanning.

MW: I think so too. Thanks so much Patrick, always a pleasure.

PA: You’re welcome.

You can check Patrick out at www.patrickarnoldblog.com

Patrick’s products are sold through www.prototypenutrition.com and www.epharmnutrition.com

If you have your own questions you can track him down on his Q&A threads at http://www.prohormoneforum.com/q-patrick-arnold/ and http://anabolicminds.com/forum/advanced-discussion-patrick/

IFBB Pro Bodybuilder Toney Freeman Intervew

In a recent trip to HOTLANTA, Georgerrrr as Tyler Perry would say it, Muscleweek Senior Editor Shane Ray caught the first flight down to the home of the Braves, Falcons , Hawks and formerly the Thrashers to sit down with the age defying and veteran pro bodybuilder, Toney Freeman for an exclusive featured interview by Muscleweek.com .

Listen to what Toney has to say about the current state of competitive bodybuilding, women who turn him on, creepy schmoes who won’t leave him alone and how aging is only a state of mind.

MW: If it isn’t The X-Man Himself. Toney. Welcome to Muscleweek. Thank you for meeting me. HOTLANTA isn’t what I expected. It reminds me of Chicago. So. Tell us something about Toney Freeman not many people know about.

TF: Here you go. I love to bake, man. I do. I love to bake and cook. It’s my new passion, Shane. I’m into the culinary arts now and I think it’s cool. I bake cookies, pies, cakes anything. I go online and find these recipes and I just try them out, you know? I love it. Actually. In Atlanta I may be starting this cooking show for television called “Man Up!”. It’s basically I go on the show, make a quick meal of healthy food and teach the audience how to spruce it up and make it more edible. I’m looking forward to it, man. I can’t wait. I may be doing my own video series on YouTube pretty soon that will be almost the same kind of thing so look out for it.

MW: You’ve been around the scene a long time. Some believe you hit your highest cylinder around age 40 instead of late 20′s or early 30′s. What do you contribute to that and would you agree?

TF: You know? This is why. I know how to take time off and know when to push it and when to back off. I learned over the years and I’ve been competing since 1988, man. You believe that? So through the years I picked up a few things. I learned from other people’s mistakes. I also took about 10 years off. I came back to the competitive stage when I was 36. So with all that time off it was like I was new at this all over again with a ton of knowledge already. On top of all that I pay attention to what my limitations are. I know what I can get away with and what I cannot. Some guys don’t care or pay attention. They just push it, man. Our bodies are like a car, man. A machine. Treat it good it will treat you good. Take care of it and it will last you a long time.

MW: Describe a typical day in the life of Toney Freeman. You seem like you have a lot cooking. You don’t seem to be like most of these lazy turd-burglar bodybuilders who live on facebook all day long. What’s up!

TF: [Loud Laughter] I keep myself busy all day. From the moment I wake up I start answering business e-mails, making phone calls or booking flights to other cities because I still am fortunate enough to get guest posing gigs. On top of that I have 3 shows planned for 2012. I have my cooking show I am working on, my YouTube Channel and making sure business is handled properly with X-Frame Spray. I stay busy in the day, too because I cook one meal at a time. I never cook in bulk. I never do. I don’t like cold stale food. I like my meals freshly made so it’s worth it to me to prepare them one at a time.

MW: At age 45 you seem to be getting better. Ronnie Coleman is the same age as you and he barely looks like a shell of his former self respectively. Do you think your style of training preserved your body to what it is today? I know you like to employ a higher rep, moderate weight blood-pumping style instead of the inhuman colossal weights Ronnie was famous for employing over the years.

TF: You’re right, man. That’s true. I think that has a lot to do with it. When I was in my 20′s I was all about trying to keep up with the next guy so I pushed it with the weights. I didn’t know my limits then. I thought the only way to get bigger was to life heavier than the next guy. It was when I tore my pec is when I said to myself that there has to be another way. So I started to experiment. I found out that you have to put your ego away and use just enough weight to stimulate the muscles without making your joints and ligaments do any of the work What people also don’t know is training so heavy all of the time damages your bones. It causes micro-fractures and over time it catches up to you. I know this about the body. It always wins. The House always wins. I learned to not care what the guy in the gym training next to me thinks. You see me. I’m 6’2. I’m 300lbs. I’m a big guy, right? I used to think I should curl the 80lb dumbbells because that is what is expected. Once I said I didn’t care about that bullshit of what people think I got better. I curl the 40′s and think nothing of it because I can feel the muscle working deep inside the fibers. I never really need a spot because the way I see it is if you can’t lift it on your own then you are just going to activate the joints and ligaments in that set so it makes it counter-productive. I use angles, I use different rep schemes, rep tempo, drop sets and all kinds of different things. I never limit myself to one way of training. I keep my body guessing all the time but the main thing is I feel the muscle working and not worry about impressing people in the gym, you know?

MW: I do know. Yes. Toney. At 300lbs you seem to still be very conditioned. In the interview you did with my Editor-In-Chief, recently you had visible abs. What’s that from? Good genetics? Superior metabolism? Constant cardio?

TF: I think a little bit of everything. No. I think it’s because I keep myself pretty strict all the time. I do like to eat what I want sometimes but I am mindful. If I eat sweets one day or if I enjoy some fast food then I know I will do some extra cardio or take a walk or something. Right now, though I do cardio 3 days a week for about 30 minutes either in the morning or after my workouts but I workout twice a day. I train each body part twice a week so I am always in the gym so it keeps me lean and keeps me from gaining fat.

MW: Toney. Lots of guys go way off of the deep end with using different compounds and dabbling with things with dosages that ruin their physiques. See: King Kamali as a reference. What are your thoughts on SEO, extreme dosing gear and mixing so many different chemicals the way some of these guys do? What are your thoughts on that?

TF: I’m not a fan of all that. Just like I said when I was younger I would push it with the weights and think heavier is better but guess what? It isn’t. Not for me anyway and I bet not for most people. When I lightened up the weights and backed off I got better and it’s the same with gear and all that. You have to be smart and know your limits. You have to take as much time off as you do on and even add another month or two. With me I get my blood-work done every 45 days and stay on top of all that. I put smart training, actual dieting and proper rest before everything else where people now seem to put that stuff first and everything else after. That isn’t right. If anything it ruined bodybuilding, man. Back when I first got going guys looked awesome and everyone wanted to bodybuild. It was on ESPN. There were morning workout shows featuring real bodybuilders. We made people want to look like us but that is when we put our work in the gym and on the treadmill and paid attention to our food and how we ate. Not anymore, man. These cats now think they could do better from a needle or a pill and go to the pancake house every night. Oh. I think I will skip cardio and just take another pill or two instead. No, man. It doesn’t work that way.

MW: Toney. You mentioned a pec tear earlier. Most guys never recover from a pec tear. With you it’s hardly noticeable. How did you recover so well? What did you do to bring up your upper chest to conceal it and bring it back to par with the right side? New style of training?

TF: One thing is I didn’t give up and think that you can’t get back to where it was before. The surgeon said he attached the muscle back to the bone and told me that the pectoral minor would never be the same but I didn’t accept that. I made it a goal to find a way to bring it back up as much as I can. I started to get weekly deep tissue massages, I would do lots of stretching and like you said I started to train more smart. I focus mostly on my upper chest. I never go heavier than 225 on incline barbell. I use dumbbells like no higher than 120lbs and focus on feeling and squeezing the muscle. I got really into uni-lateral movements, too. I would do one arm pec-dec flys. One arm dumbbell presses and stuff like that. I focused on making it better and I did. It isn’t as good as the left pec but it came a hell of a long way.

MW: Toney. One remarkable thing about you is that you are one of the very very few bodybuilders walking the globe who has an enormous approval rating on the more gossipy bodybuilding message boards. Where even guys like a Jay Cutler or a Phil Heath take lots of grief you seem to be exempt from all of that noise. How do you think you earned that respect?

TF: You know I am actually honored by that. I heard that before. I don’t get down too much with looking at the boards because like you said even guys like Jay and Phil get flamed so I try to stay away from the negativity. I guess people like me because I’m cool to everyone, you know. I treat everyone with respect. I’m not a phony fake like half the people in the industry so people see that. I meet so many people and I am always sure to treat everyone with respect. You know, I been around a long time and people see me coming back again and again getting better than ever so I guess people just like that about me.

MW: You seem to have a lot of “industry chicks” flocking to you at all of the expos or at all of the shows you enter. I’ve seen you at Jason Dhirs’ parties in Columbus. Do you have good Game or are you just a natural Pick Up Artist?

TF: [Hysterical Laughter] I mean. I don’t have that kind of Game like the way you guys talk about on Muscleweek but I treat everyone the same including the ladies, man. I don’t try to hustle anyone or lie to anyone I just treat the ladies like a gentleman so they like that plus women like tall guys like me. It’s an evolutionary thing, I think. Most women say the ideal man is tall, dark and handsome and I am all 3 so I guess that’s why they come around. Plus I smell good, too! [More Laughter].

MW: Speaking of the ladies. What’s your ideal woman? Does she have to be a schizophrenic and bi-polar Figure girl or some delusional Bikini competitor or can she be a girl who has nothing to do with the physique competition world?

TF: Oh, man. You know how they be, right? No. I like women who take care of themselves and keep fit but that is because everyone should be fit and make health and their body a major priority in their life. They don’t have to compete or anything just take care of their shit. I like women who like me for me not just for my muscles but I like all women. I think it’s a mistake to have a certain type and stick with only that type. I like them all, man. Blondes, brunettes, red heads, white girls, black girls everything. As long as they have some sort of substance and a decent brain I can be cool with it.

MW: Being a popular bodybuilder not to mention a 6’2 300lb jacked black guy must bring you a lot of attention. Good and Bad. How does the general public take you to at say a grocery store or a gas station or something? What’s their initial reaction?

TF: You know what? 99% of the time it’s positive. I get people staring at me all the time and most of the time people have questions they walk up to me and ask me how much I bench press. You know, man. The usual questions. Do I take protein shakes. How much do I lift. So I am always conscious about conducting myself like a gentleman every where I go. I know people already have their minds made up about me as soon as they see me so I try to do the opposite of what they expect so I hold doors for people. Look people in the eye. Shake their hands. I try to remember names and all that. Sometimes I hear a stupid comment but I just ignore it. I don’t care anymore at this point.

MW: On that note. Facebook is littered with every creeper and schmoe in the galaxy. What kind of weird requests do you receive privately? Somebody we recently interviewed told us that this pervert offered him money to crush a live mouse in the palm of his hand. You have any funny stories like that you can share?

TF: Oh, man. I know. I get that crap all the time. Mostly I get these weirdos e-mailing me asking me if they can give me a massage or suck my dick or stuff like that. I just ignore it I won’t even entertain them. One time here at that gym we were at earlier[in Atlanta] I was working out with my training partner and this big fat creepy old guy was there and he kept staring at me so then he walks over to me in between my set I was just standing there and he comes up and grabs my ass, man! Can you believe that shit? I turned around and yelled at the dude and warned him not to ever put his hands on me I told him I was a grown ass man and not to ever do that again. He just ran off saying he was sorry. Had that been me say I did that to some girl or something I’d be in handcuffs or in a police car, right?

MW: Toney. Over The Counter supplements. Do you actually use any? Most pros pretend they do because they have to but we all know they don’t. What’s the deal?

TF: I do. Yes. I mean, I don’t go too crazy with them but some of them I like and some I think is pure garbage, you know. I am real big on vitamins & minerals. I also am big on anti-oxidants. I think that’s another reason why at 45 I am still going strong. I always make sure I take my vitamin complex and minerals every day. Let’s see, I will drink a protein shake if I know I have to get a meal in but feel too lazy too cook I’ll have a shake and sometimes I take arginine when I go to sleep. People think arginine is best to take before a workout but it’s better to take it when you sleep. I don’t like pre-workout drinks with stimulants in them. I get all jittery. I don’t like it. The only time I use stuff like a Redline or something is when I am feeling a little sluggish and I got to get cardio in so I’ll drink maybe half a can and then hit cardio.

MW: It seems like with the introduction of Men’s Physique that Bodybuilding took a nose dive in popularity. Do you find that to be true?

TF: It is totally true. Like I said guys ruin themselves because for a while like 10 years ago everyone wanted to see the freaks so the judges rewarded it so guys went crazy with the shit. Now we got Men’s Physique which is what all guys want to look like. The problem is they don’t let only the quality bodybuilders on stage anymore. Now anybody can do the USA’s or Nationals now. All you have to do is pay your entry fee and buy a NPC card that’s it. You can make the USA’s your very first show if you want. For the promoters or those making profit of it then it’s great but look what that did to bodybuilding. It made it go downhill and until they stop letting so many people get on stage that don’t deserve to be up there then bodybuilding will get less popular. I remember back when I was on the national scene all the guys who entered the show were real good man, all of them. There were no scrubs. Everyone in every class were hard to beat. Guys were all state level winners, regional winners and local level winners. Back then you had to win like all the types of shows to be able to do nationals. Back then only the best of the best were on stage. Now? Please. May only be 2-3 real good guys at every national show. So when the bodybuilding show is 85% guys who shouldn’t be there it is no wonder why Men’s Physique is getting more popular. Bodybuilding isn’t visually appealing anymore.

MW: Can bodybuilding every go mainstream? I used to see it on ESPN. What happened? Why does it still remain cult-status?

TF: I doubt it ever will but back when the Olympia was covered on ESPN and it got more coverage the physiques on stage were good and everyone looked healthier. Now guys have lumps, bumps and obvious use of oil everywhere and big ol’ stomachs sticking out everywhere why would anyone put that on TV? It’s a joke. Nobody wants to look like the guys on stage now. The only people who like the way it looks are hardcore bodybuilders and schmoes.

MW: Who do you work with as a nutritionist these days? Do you get caught up with the whole “guru” thing?

TF: I don’t work with anybody at all. My business partner, Lloyd Davis will give me an unbiased opinion and be an extra set of eyes for me but that’s it. He keeps it real with how I look otherwise I do all my own cooking and meal planning. I know what I gotta do. I am not about to pay someone 5k so he can tell me to eat egg whites and oatmeal for breakfast. Come on, man. I don’t get down with that “guru” stuff. I know my body. I know how to eat to lose fat and preserve muscle, man. I think that “guru” stuff is silly. I keep my basic blue-print of foods I rotate and add or subtract based on how I feel or look. That’s it.

MW: Tell me who in the bodybuilding industry you want to give the ol’ “Freeman Frewilly” to? There has to be someone. For me it is still Monica.

TF: [Laughter]. Bro. You know who Denise Millani is? That’s who. Man. I saw her at the LA Fit Expo and I couldn’t keep my eyes off of her. She has it all. She got a butt, she got boobs. Wow! I saw her and I was frozen. I lost my composure, man. I’d love to see her again.

MW: Where does Toney Freeman see himself in the next 5 years? Is Hollywood calling you? If Terry “Squeege Lo” Crews can make it then I believe you can.

TF: Yea, man. I’ve been doing some acting. People don’t know this but I was big into drama and theater in high-school and took some thespian classes after. I always been into acting so I’ve been testing the waters and just landed a role for a movie where I played a Thug Boss. Type-casted, probably but it’s cool. I know what I look like. That movie was called Parked. So after 2012 I plan on focusing more on that because 2012 is my last year where I am going to go full on with bodybuilding. If I can get Top 5 at the O then maybe I will do it again next year but we’ll see.

MW: Toney. You’re called The X Man. You carry the classic X-Frame and have an uncanny mutant ability to get better with age. Are you also a comic book fan? I find there is a direct link to comic book fans and bodybuilders.

TF: I like comic books. I like the characters. I don’t collect the books but I think it’s cool. I like the movies and the cartoons and all that. I seen all the movies and I know they have new movies are coming out this summer so that’s cool. I know where the Marvel Comics headquarters is at in L.A. I always want to go in there and say to Stan Lee – What’s up!

MW: If you can change bodybuilding for the better what would you do? How can bodybuilding be great again like it once was.

TF: They have to stop letting just anybody be a pro. Being a pro now isn’t special like it used to be now everyone is a pro. When I went pro I knew every other pro because there were so few because only the best went pro. Now? I meet people and they tell me they are a pro and I have no idea who they are it isn’t exclusive anymore now they give away pro cards. What? Like 30 girls a year go pro with like 20 guys? Back then it was maybe 5-6 new pros a year because only the best of the best went pro. They also need to set a standard for the shows. It’s so subjective. Too subjective. There is no standard. They should say. Any SEO usage means disqualification from the show. Roid guts means you will place last. Lumps means you are disqualified. If you pose the wrong way you lose points and nobody should ever fraternize with promoters or judges or anything. That will leave some of the bull shit out but mostly make it special to compete at nationals again and make is special to be a pro again.

MW: It was great being here in Atlanta with you, Toney. How can anybody get in contact with you for anything you have to offer? What would you like to plug and promote?

TF: People can contact me through my website which is www.tfxman.com or through facebook if they want to. The site for my X-Pain Spray is www.xpainspray.com

How Much Protein Do I Need?

By: Dr. Layne Norton

From the time that the first physique enthusiasts & bodybuilders ever started choking down extra chicken breasts, steaks, and vile concoctions to increase their protein intake for the purposes of gaining muscle; the question of just how much protein is optimal has been debated.  Fast forward more than half a century and people still debate the same question without much of a consensus.  Many people believe that protein is already over consumed by the typical person and bodybuilders and athletes have no need to take in extra, while there are those who will tell you that there is no upper limit to the benefits of protein.  In reality the answer to this question probably lies well within the middle of these two extremes.  The question of protein quantity at a meal and frequency of protein consumption has been debated almost as often as total protein consumption.  Quite often we see the question, “what is the max level of protein that one can benefit from at a meal and how long often should I consume it?” Fortunately for us, this question actually has some data that we can start picking apart to get some general guidelines for protein size and frequency at meals.

Many ‘experts’ or gym know-it-alls out there who will tell you to only consume “X” amount of protein at a meal because only “X” amount of protein can be absorbed by the body at a meal (I’m sure you’ve all heard this one before).  Let this nonsense stop here and now.  To begin with, this entire train of thought isn’t even on the correct track.  Hell it didn’t even depart from the right train station!  Assuming that you have a healthy digestive system, the absorption of the amino acids from a meal containing protein is very efficient and almost never a limiting factor.  Absorption only refers to nutrient uptake & absorption via the digestive track (most absorption occurring in the small intestine).  If our digestive systems didn’t absorb most of what we eat than anytime you had a big meal you would have diarrhea like clockwork from the undigested material in the gut!  It also makes very little sense from an evolutionary standpoint to be very wasteful with nutrients when primitive man may have only been able to eat one large meal in a day at times.  Our species would not have survived very long if we were wasteful with nutrients and did not absorb amino acids beyond a certain level.  In reality, the body has an extremely high capacity for amino acid absorption.  What these people who spout this nonsense are really referring to is amino acid utilization.  You see, even if we absorb 100% of the amino acids we ingest, that doesn’t mean they will all reach the skeletal muscle and input towards building muscle mass.  In actuality a very small percentage are used for that role.  The cells of the small intestine and liver extract a huge amount of amino acids for energy and their own synthesis of new proteins in first pass metabolism before they ever reach the bloodstream!  Once in the bloodstream amino acids can also be taken up and utilized by other tissues such as the kidneys, heart, skin, etc.  So it is not a question of how much protein/amino acids can be absorbed at a meal, rather the question is what level of protein at a meal gives the maximum benefit for muscle building?  Essentially anything below this level would not maximally support muscle building, while at a protein intake above this level, the body would merely oxidize the excess amino acids for energy.

In order to start answering this question of optimal protein intake at a meal we first must make clear as to what defines a “maximum level of benefit” from protein intake.  Using rates of protein synthesis as a measure for this definition is logical as increased rates of protein synthesis would be required for the addition of new skeletal muscle tissue.  To put it more plainly, in order to build muscle the body must increase the rate at which it synthesizes muscle tissue above the baseline rate.  Decreasing the rate of skeletal muscle breakdown also can lead to increased tissue accrual, unfortunately data on protein breakdown is much more difficult to obtain, interpret, and it is much more variable than the synthesis data.  It is very difficult to measure short term changes in skeletal muscle breakdown as it has a very slow turnover rate so the focus on this article will be on protein synthesis, which likely plays more of a regulatory role in tissue accrual/loss in muscle than degradation since synthesis is the more regulated energy dependant process.

To find the optimal level of protein intake at a meal we must determine what the optimal level of protein at a meal for stimulating muscle protein synthesis is.  It appears that maximizing skeletal muscle protein synthesis requires approximately  ~15g of an essential amino acids^1,2.     It has been postulated that the amino acid leucine is responsible for the stimulatory effect of dietary protein on protein synthesis³ and 15g of essential amino acids would contain 3.2g of leucine.  Thus in order to determine how much protein from a specific source is required to elicit the maximal response it may be useful to back calculate how much leucine is contained in the source.  One could then determine how much of the source must be consumed in order to reach the leucine threshold.  For example, whey protein is approximately 12% leucine per gram protein, therefore about 27g of protein from whey would need to be consumed to reach the threshold for maximal anabolism, whereas a source like chicken, which has a protein content of about 7.5% leucine would require 43g of protein to reach the leucine threshold required for maximal stimulation.   So it appears that the maximum benefit level for protein at a meal is varies depending upon the source of protein.  It is important to note that most of these studies were done on individuals who weighed approximately 155-165 lbs on average.  So if you weigh less than this you might want to aim for the lower end of the threshold whereas if you weigh more you may want to aim for the higher end of the threshold.

Now there is the issue of meal frequency and time between meals.  Assuming we maximize protein synthesis by achieving the required leucine/protein threshold, how long does the effect last?  Several studies have shown that the duration of protein synthesis in response to an oral leucine dose or an essential amino acid infusion is approximately two hours long^4,5.  However, these are purified amino acid solutions and are likely to be digested rapidly and in the case of an infusion, no digestion is required at all.  So it is possible that a whole food meal will have a different impact on the duration of protein synthesis than pure amino acids.  Our lab has recently shown that the duration of protein synthesis in response to a complete meal containing protein, carbohydrates, and fats is approximately 3 hours long⁶.  Therefore, it appears that a complete meal slightly prolongs the duration of protein synthesis.  What is interesting about our findings is that while protein synthesis had returned to baseline after 3 hours, plasma amino acid levels were still elevated above baseline and plasma leucine was elevated almost 3x above baseline!  Accordingly, the phosphoryation of the initiation factors 4E-BP1 & p70S6K followed plasma leucine levels and maintained elevated levels of phosphorylation at 3 hours (phosphorylation of these initiation factors is required to start the process of protein synthesis).  Thus it appears that the signal to maintain elevated protein synthesis is still being ‘transmitted’ but for some reason protein synthesis is becomes refractory after a certain period of time.  This is also supported by data from Bohe et al which showed that the duration of protein synthesis in response to an infusion of essential amino acids was only 2 hours long even though the essential amino acids were infused for six hours⁵!  It is unlikely that eating another meal 2-3 hours after the first meal would be sufficient to induce another rise in protein synthesis since amino acid/leucine levels are already elevated anyway.  It may therefore be more useful to consume larger amounts of protein at a meal and wait longer between protein doses than the typical 2-3 hours that is typically recommended in the bodybuilding community.

Now I know you’ve probably spit your protein shake out all over your magazine, ruining it and now you are cursing me for 1) ruining your magazine and 2) telling you the bodybuilding meal eating protocol you’ve been following for so long may not be optimal for making gains.  Well I apologize for ruining your magazine but I won’t apologize for busting on musclehead dogma; that is just what I do.  There is some precedent for what I am recommending however.  Arnal et al⁷ compared elderly women consuming either 4 small meals per day with their total protein intake evenly spaced out verses those that consumed the same amount of protein but with 80% of their total protein coming in one meal.  The researchers found that the women consuming the large single dose of protein actually had greater nitrogen balance, protein turnover, and protein synthesis rates than the group consuming their protein across four evenly spaced meals.  Now the total protein intake for both groups was only 60g so the group consuming protein evenly only consumed 15g at each meal.  Still it is interesting that the group eating almost all of their total protein in one meal had better results.  Perhaps the group consuming the small meals never reached the threshold required to initiate a significant response of protein synthesis at any meal whereas the bolus dose group ate enough protein in at least one meal to initiate have one significant increase in protein synthesis above baseline during the day.  Now I am not in any way shape or form implying that we are better off just consuming one large protein meal per day.  What I am implying is that it is better to consume larger protein doses spaced further apart and maximize protein synthesis, rather than consume smaller doses of protein throughout the day, since research has shown that protein synthesis will become refractory to constantly elevated levels of amino acids.  It may be that a period where amino acids return to baseline or near baseline is required in order to initiate another bout of protein synthesis.  I therefore suggest that one consume 4-6 larger protein doses per day instead of 6-8 meals and wait 4-5 hours between meals rather than 2-3 hours.

At the moment, there is no clear way to overcome the refractory response.  However, there is evidence that supplementing with free form amino acids with carbohydrates between meals may improve protein synthesis compared to normal meals alone⁸.  It is possible that a free form amino acid supplement could spike plasma levels of amino acids to a far greater level than can be achieved with whole foods and perhaps this supraphysiological response is enough to overcome the refractory response.  It is also possible that the carbohydrates in the supplement have an effect.  The insulin time course in the experiment we performed lasted 3 hours, the same as protein synthesis.  Additionally, Wolfe et al. also showed that the timecourse of insulin seemed to track protein synthesis during an essential amino acid infusion⁵.  Perhaps maintaining elevated plasma insulin levels is required to prolong protein synthesis in response to a meal.  In either case, it appears that supplementing with an amino acid supplement containing ~2-3g of leucine along with some carbohydrates (~20-30g) is an effective way to maximize muscle protein synthesis.

Now I will be the first to admit that the research is just not specific or broad enough to address the size and frequency issue with absolute certainty, but I believe these recommendations are a good general starting point.  What is clear is that certain protein sources have a stronger impact on protein synthesis than others, and also that it appears that keeping amino acids constantly elevated by smaller protein doses throughout the day may NOT be optimal.  Hopefully future research will address more specifics with regards to these issues.

—

Dr. Layne Norton has won multiple natural pro cards in bodybuilding, competed in pro contests, married the love if his life, and finally graduated with his PhD in Nutritional Sciences. There is one thing, however that he has yet to do … step on the pro natural stage with top athletes n the world.

2.  Tipton KD, Ferrando AA, Phillips SM, Doyle D Jr, Wolfe RR.  Postexercise net protein synthesis in human muscle from orally administered amino acids.  Am J Physiol. 1999 Apr;276(4 Pt 1):E628-34.

3.  Norton LE, Layman DK.  Leucine regulates translation initiation of protein synthesis in skeletal muscle after exercise.  J Nutr. 2006 Feb;136(2):533S-537S.

4.  Anthony JC, Lang CH, Crozier SJ, Anthony TG, MacLean DA, Kimball SR, Jefferson LS.  Contribution of insulin to the translational control of protein synthesis in skeletal muscle by leucine.
Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2002 May;282(5):E1092-101.

5.  Bohe J, Low JF, Wolfe RR, Rennie MJ.  Latency and duration of stimulation of human muscle protein synthesis during continuous infusion of amino acids.  J Physiol. 2001 Apr 15;532(Pt 2):575-9.

6.  Norton LE, Layman DK, Bunpo P, Anthony TG, Brana DV, Garlick PJ.  The leucine content  of a complete meal directs peak activation but not duration of skeletal muscle protein synthesis and Mammalian target of rapamycin signaling in rats.  J Nutr. 2009 Jun;139(6):1103-9.

7. Arnal MA, Mosoni L, Boirie Y, Houlier ML, Morin L, Verdier E, Ritz P, Antoine JM, Prugnaud J, Beaufrere B, Mirand PP. pulse feeding improves protein retention in elderly women.  Am J Clin Nutr. 1999 Jun;69(6):1202-8.

8.  Paddon-Jones D, Sheffield-Moore M, Aarsland A, Wolfe RR, Ferrando AA.  Exogenous amino acids stimulate human muscle anabolism without interfering with the response to mixed meal ingestion.  Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2005 Apr;288(4):E761-7.

By XfitSpin

Part I

In the bodybuilding world this guy needs no introduction. For the CrossFit and Functional Fitness peeps, let me get you up to speed.

Patrick Arnold or PA as I like to refer to him is an east coast native. He’s an organic chemist who specializes in the research and development of sports supplementation. This guy is to supplements what Robb Wolf is to Paleo, what Greg Glassman is to CrossFit, what Jared is to Subway, and what the Polish are to sausages. As synonymous as Mark McGwire is to home runs! You get the picture.

Funny story actually,  Mark McGwire probably wouldn’t have achieved that record setting season if he didn’t have a little help from the research and development of Patrick Arnold. Patrick introduced the supplement industry to Androstenedione (Andro), which just so happened to be the prohormone Mark McGwire was taking during his record setting season.

Not only that, this dude is so ridiculously passionate about chemistry he actually translated research written in German which led him to develop a designer steroid called tetrahydrogestrinone (THG), more commonly referred to as, “The Clear.”

I know what some of the crossfit purists are thinking right now. The supplement Mark McGwire took was illegal (heaven forbid), and THG was the undetectable steroid that tarnished the career of several Olympic athletes and ignited the BALCO scandal around 2003 after a syringe with trace amounts was obtained and a test was developed in the UCLA Olympic Analytical Laboratory. Holy shit right?

Marion Jones

Put any thoughts of judgment and emotion aside for just one minute now, and hear me out. Let’s look at this objectively. Patrick was just a guy with a lot of drive to unearth tools in performance that had never been used before. He worked hard to achieve elite status through unconventional and innovative methods. Sound familiar?

When Patrick introduced Andro it wasn’t illegal. Shit, I remember in high school everyone was taking it including my dorky, super skinny, stoner friend Senone. Senone, Jesse, and I would train at the YMCA after school 5 days a week and talk supplements. I believe I was taking this awful fat burner called Agent Orange and Jesse was taking good ole’ creatine fartohydrate. Those were the days! In hindsight as much as I scoff to admit it, Senone was the smartest out of all of us. Long story short, the FDA caught wind that it worked and banned it. I’ll save the discussion of pharmaceuticals, supplements, OTC drugs, and the FDA for another day.

Victor Conte

As far as the steroids go let me just disclose a bit about Patrick’s character. He made something truly remarkable and excitedly sold it. He didn’t sedate people and inject them with steroids without their consent.  He got busted and went to prison. He took full responsibility, did his time, and kept his mouth shut. He never sold out, rolled, or squealed on anyone and its 10 years later. The same can’t be said for the BALCO founder Victor Conte who bought the THG for distribution. That isn’t exactly shocking. Anyone who’s watched Pineapple Express and Breaking Bad knows you never trust a drug dealer.

Patrick on the Outside

Undeterred post prison Patrick continued his work in the supplement industry legally. He HAS to be legal or he gets the hose again. Plus he welcomes a challenge. How can he put out products that work with the resources he’s got? It hasn’t come without setbacks. Patrick has continued to put out quality supplements that work even with the DEA jammed so uncomfortably far up his ass the man forever walks funny. So far in fact that one day they took it upon themselves to seize and raid his beautiful 40,000 sq. ft lab and manufacturing facility in 2009 because a couple of baseball players failed a drug test and blamed it on Patrick’s new product called 6-OXO.

The product sample was tested and found to be insufficient in producing a positive drug test, but the damage was done. The lab was destroyed, and all the equipment. Patrick’s proverbial Ferrari went to auction. He was left standing in the rubble with a heavy heart, swallowing another emotional set back, and 6-OXO was pulled off the market.  So long to another effective supplement. May it rest in peace.

These are circumstances that would make an ordinary man throw in the towel and pick a new profession, but Patrick and his business partner Lakhan Boodram continue their work slowly rebuilding with very little capital. I have asked Patrick on more than one occasion. What the hell man? Why don’t you just write a book about the industry, steroids, and debauchery, or go make six figures for an oil company?… something! His answer is simple and the same every time. “Because I’ll never sell out, I can’t imagine doing anything else, and I’ll never leave my business partner hanging.” I don’t blame the guy one bit. That whole book thing didn’t work out so well for Conseco.

It’s admirable to run across honest people that are in a business so cloaked with scandal and exceeding the allowable per capita of swindlers, hustlers, cheaters, liars, and narcissists. The guy is just a good human. The cool thing about Patrick is he’s one of us. He’s approachable and down to earth, and in addition to being a supplement savant, the man actually knows a thing or two about training.

Stay tuned for the interview half of this series where I have Patrick weigh in on training, what he thinks about CrossFit, supplemental things, and a few shenanigans including the cat outside his lab that’s stalking him and possibly some dating advice for fitness minded ladies (wish me luck there). Feel free to check him out anytime at patrickarnoldblog.com.

-XfitSpin

Well, it’s not exactly breaking news. It’s old news but I feel like the ball has been dropped and I decided to pick it up again.

I just want to start this article by saying that I have nothing to gain by writing this other than some piece of mind knowing I’ve helped out my fellow high intensity friends. I’m also too passive to say to the athletes at my box that their hard earned $ would be better spent at the nearest strip club helping some poor girl with tuition than purchasing Progenex. Actually, my response is so long winded I decided to just write it down. I’m not going to go into super investigative mode with this post but hopefully I can throw out enough to get you thinking.

The bodybuilding community has known since 2010 that Progenex is nothing more than hydrolyzed whey. Bodybuilding has a billion message boards and gossip spreads faster than chlamydia at a freshman dorm. Plus, there’s no trademarked monopoly on bodybuilding so just imagine how many message boards there are. There is no big HQ monster policing what people say with threats to pull affiliations for questioning their business practices.

A quick lesson before I start for those that need it. What exactly is whey protein?  It is the watery portion of milk that separates from the curds when making cheese. That’s why it smells like shit when you leave a shaker cup in your car. Best just throw it away. Supplementing with it is an efficient way to increase protein intake when the demands of weight training require it for muscle growth and repair.

CrossFitters buying Progenex are spending $60 for a measly 30 servings, or perhaps they are the lucky recipient of a code rendering them 10% off. I can buy a 5 lbs bag of Muscletech containing 72 servings for $32. I realize not everyone is on a budget like I am but, what the heck?

I’ve thought not very long and not very hard to come up with the answer… Because all the cool kids are doing it. If CrossFit HQ signs a contract with Progenex it must be the shiznit.

If  you like the taste of Progenex, are partial to the appearance of the flashy chrome bag, and don’t mind forking over a little extra, then why is it a big deal?

Let me break it down…

Scott Connelly

Dr. Scott Connelly used to have this freaking awesome recovery formula he used to market and sell for Progenex. It rocked. It was cutting edge technology. This was no ordinary whey! A company in New Zealand produced this formula by tracking RNA expression signatures showing which genes were involved with muscle growth, metabolism, and inflammatory response. The product was noticeably effective and it was pricey because it was costly to make. Let’s just say the product was LEGIT, tasted like shit, and was gaining in popularity with bodybuilders, pro athletes, crossfitters and recreational lifters. Connelly knew he landed on something big so the smarty pants patented it, meaning he was the only person in the US that could sell the stuff.

So what happened?

Connelly was shopping for investors for Progenex and stumbled upon this guy named Adam Zuckerman who’s a total DB and currently spending time in a federal prison for fraud. He had fraudulent dealings in all of his business practices. It is safe to assume he is a man of questionable motives and character. He also came with his own team of creepy buddies. If you’re interested do a search on this gem of a citizen and the ethical practices of Progenex. Anthony Roberts can give you more details.

Adam Zuckerman

It didn’t take long for Zuckerman and his team to take over Progenex. Connelly and his team were out and so was the formula. Not long after that the New Zealand Company severed ties with Connelly. The formula is not sold by anyone in the US currently that I know of. It is being sold in Australia by a company called Ascend. One thing is certain. The bad ass formula sure as heck isn’t sold by Progenex.

Progenex began selling commodity protein at the same inflated price because people kept buying it. Plus, with the new felony fraud kids running the biz, why wouldn’t they steal an opportunity to lower production costs and produce an inferior product that people are still buying with religious conviction? Well, not all of us. A few people noticed the change immediately.

The post Connelly protein blend at Progenex has actually been tested. It is very similar to, if not the same as, Thermax by Glanbia who just happens to be one of the world’s largest whey protein suppliers. Many supplement companies buy their ingredients and supplements from wholesale central suppliers. Very few companies actually have research and development teams. More money is spent on marketing and flare than on development.

Often times, research based supplement companies are dwarfed by the entrepreneur MBA’s with deep pockets and silver tongues. At least Progenex isn’t claiming to use the old recovery formula they just named their protein Recovery.  They’re promoting this thing called Promorphogen that’s trademarked but only as an additive of very little significance, a filler for fiber supplements, meal replacement drinks, and whey protein.

So what gives crossfitters? Put away your cash and make some informed purchases because I care about what you invest in. Be informed when purchasing supplements, especially if they’re expensive. Read the reviews from unbiased sources and consumers who are paying for the product and not paid to promote it. CrossFit is expensive and if you don’t like an affiliate or the trainers I’m going to assume you will find one that appreciates you as an athlete and your business right? Supplement companies should be viewed in the same light.

Find out the most efficient way to be fit and a way that works for you. Splitting hairs on whey protein brands is senseless and insignificant for everyday lifting. The body will absorb what it needs, secrete the rest, or deposit excessive amounts as fat. End of story. If you’re truly concerned about the macros, micros, and artificial sweeteners then become a connoisseur and shop around. Some supplement companies actually do care and hold themselves to a higher ethical standard which isn’t hard to beat when compared to Progenex. Find and invest in them. Advocate in the name of science which is what crossfitters do.

Driving back to Chicago from NYC  on I-71 (West) last month, Muscleweek.com Senior Editor and Hustler, Shane Ray had to make a pit stop at Rod Parsley’s World Harvest Church in Columbus, Ohio to give a seminar about breaking the chains of the bodybuilding cult and the dangers associated  with such a vain and vapid underworld. During his stay at the Best Western-Columbus North on Granville Rd in Dublin, Shane Ray found himself getting restless.  Navigating his Friend List on facebook it was a matter of time before he realized he was in the same city as IFBB BIKINI Pro and Ohio native, “Flexy” Lexi Kaufman.

With a quick Private Message sent and a quick reply by The Flexy One it was off to Metro Fitness for an exclusive 21 Questions with Muscleweek.com .

Muscleweek.com’s Seinor Editor, Shane Ray seems to be more of a New Yorker than native Chicagoan. On another recent business meeting with new shareholders in The Big Apple this past weekend, Shane needed to take a break from the suits and talk about stock and head to the gym to put in the real work. Walking down 49th st and a quick left on Broadway there was NYSC staring him in the face.

Heading to the second floor Shane spotted the lovely GiGi Amurao taking the stairs and not the escalator like Shane was and anybody who knows Muscleweek’s very own Shane Ray knows that Shane has been seriously infected with Yellow Fever for quite some time and board certified medically diagnosed with the fortunate plague.

With a little tricks from The Mystery Method and a few negs, false time constraints and a few sentences using neuro-linguistic programming an interview with Muscleweek was underway…

MW:  GiGi Amurao. Welcome to Muscleweek! It’s great to have you. So tell me now how you got into this crazy circus that is the Bikini competitions and bodybuilding. Did you sort of fall into it with your Eyes Wide Shut or did some bodybuilder at the gym feed you a line and tell you that you were perfect for all of this?

GA: [Laughter] Actually a little bit of both. I have always been into sports and I started lifting around when I was in college. I actually got the itch to go on stage when I was in colleges and I started training and dieting but it didn’t long. I guess because at that age I was as focused and I wasn’t mentally ready to sacrifice my weekends or food. So I just stuck to working out and keeping healthy. Competing didn’t hit me again until this year. How I ended up competing was actually a girl friend of mine was training and prepping for her first show in the WBBF. I kind of got a little jealous that she was looking good and I guess in my head I sort of started my own little competition between her and myself.  Right after that I called the first trainer I knew and was like “ get me in sick shape”!  From there I started training harder than usual and after a month of that I said, “ That’s it!! I wanna hit the stage” and from that moment I looked into competition teams. 

MW:  It paid off. So you won your Pro Card very quickly. In only two shows. Most competitors I know literally enter every single competition on the current Gregorian calendar and never even getting a call out let a lone a decent placing. What do you give the credit to for your rocket-like rise to the top?

GA: Thank you. Yes I did. My first show ever was in June then in about 3 months I earned my Pro Card at the IFBB North American Champioships in Pittsburgh, PA. What do I contribute to my rapid rise? My obsessive compulsive mirror distorted obsession of myself. [Laughter] Just kidding. The truth is I have always been a goal orientated person and I’m very into numbers so when I make something a goal I try to complete it in it ‘X’ amount of time and whatever it takes to get it done I do it.  My goal originally was just to place in the Top 5 nationally and before the end of season I wanted to come in the Top 3. The Pro card I had my sights set on earning next year.  I guess my future prayers were answered.  I can’t be anymore proud and honored. Another reason is of course my awesome coach, friends and family who would tear me apart if I had a glass of wine or cookie to the point where I would be embarrassed if I had it.

MW: So staying fit & healthy was always something you were into. What sports did you play in high school and college?

GA:  I got on JV Lacrosse as a freshman in high school then made varsity as a sophomore.  During the winter season in high school I was on the varsity gymnastics for 4 years. After High School I got a scholarship to play D-II Lacrosse in College but I only played a year. Staying in shape was always a priority but eating healthy wasn’t. [Laughter]  I’ll be the first one to stick my hand in the cookie jar. I was the one who had 6 different kinds of chocolate chip cookies in the cupboard. Hey! I worked out REALLY HARD to be able to eat whatever I wanted. [Laughter]

MW: Are Bikini competitors athletes? Can we say bodybuilders are athletes? What makes them athletes when the average Miss America competitor considers themselves pageant contestants. How is what you do not a pageant?

GA:  I think that’s a subjective question. Since I am a competitor I believe all bodybuilders are athletes along Bikini. Just like the NFL or NBA we diet and hit the weights everyday even  off-season. We work hard to shape, train and make our bodies better or to look a certain way. We constantly critique ourselves and watch videos of us posing so as to see what we do wrong or what pose makes us look weird or fat. I believe that being an athlete is a life altering way of living. We don’t just prep 12 weeks and that’s it we do this all year round it’s a way of life. Miss America is kind of different. I actually competed in the Miss New York USA.  Pageants are all about being a lady.  Pageant contestants get in shape but not nearly to the point of what body builders or bikini competitors do.

MW: The popular consensus is that Bikini competitors are just Hooter’s waitresses who found the stage. Can any self-proclaimed “hot chick” off Any Street, USA just waltz off the street onto the stage and win a Pro Card in the IFBB?

GA:  Tough to say. I mean it can happen. I  met a girl who competed with me and  qualified for nationals the week before then the following week was at USA’s with me and won her pro card. Who knows if she used to work at Hooters [Laughter].  I think there is a shape and look the judges are looking for and not everyone off the street has it nor do I think anyone with a great body can place well. Bikini is very subjective so you never know. Whoever says that Bikini girls are just Hooter waitresses should be shot! They’re just insecure haters who would LOVE to do what we do and get on stage and be ripped apart inched by inch. Then go home and say OK lets try to do that and not eat this blah blah. Try doing half of what I do or live the lifestyles we do along with work and the grind of everyday life. They wont be laughing after that!!

MW: After 3 years of Bikini it seems these girls are getting harder and harder. They seem to be getting more lean. Perfect visible abs are now a criteria. How long until Bikini transforms into Figure and Figure is totally eliminated?

GA:  Well this division is subjective and I think the judges don’t know exactly what they are looking for except the total overall fit package of nice skin, leanness all over, small waist, nice round glutes.  I think the leanness and being harder thing is coming in as the media portrays skinny celebrities or an ever-shrinking world.  Girls taken upon them to want to look that way. Ugh!

MW: A big secret in the bodybuilding industry is that it isn’t a secret drugs such as anavar, winstrol, clenbuterol, synthroid and growth hormone play a large part in the preparation phase of the competitors. How common is it according to you? 

GA: Ya know in my opinion Bikini girls can achieve the results they want just by consistent strict dieting and training. There is no need for the hard stuff. Those things aren’t part of my prep but I can’t speak for all girls. Everyone is different and everyone has their own thinking process of how to get to where they want. I would be lying if I said this stuff doesn’t happen in the industry but for me I don’t  touch those “enhancers”. I’m au’ natural. [Laughter]

MW: I notice that girls these days feel they can’t compete without Team affiliation. Gone are the days where girls used a mirror and a scale to come in shape. How important is it for the girl to join a Team such as the Oddo Angels or Team Bombshell for her success. Can they do it all by themselves and have a fair shake?

GA: Absolutely. YES. You can do it on your own and yes a girl can place well not knowing anybody. But the reason why I joined a Team was for the support and the knowledge. We all know what foods are good and bad for us. To be honest I had no clue what to eat, how to eat, what exercises builds certain body parts etc. Having a couch teaches me how to train and gives me that added confirmation that what I am doing is right. With any division there is so much prep involved that if I didn’t have my coach/team I would be lost. They know what the judges like and they give you an unbiased opinion on what you need to work on or work out less.

MW: GiGi. You’re a card carrying member of Team Bombshell. What makes Shannon Dey’s organization so popular? Often it has been said her diets are cookie cutter since she has such a high volume of girls. How can she possible pay attention to you? Is she the nutritional wizard some claim or is she just connected?

Shannon Dey is awesome and everyone thinks her diet are cookie cutter but its not. She really targets the workouts and diet to your body. Yes, we all eat the same staple basics, like chicken, asparagus, oatmeal tilapia so yes were all eating that on our plan but I can tell you all our diets are different in some way whether it be with portion, time to eat or what week to eat it at. Since joining Team Bombshell my body has changed so much I definitely see such a difference. I believe Shannon really knows the female body. She makes her own exercises that really targets certain areas. When I first got my plan I saw exercises I never even heard of and when I did them I was like “Holy shit that does work”.  I also think Shannon is very passionate about this industry and she really takes the time to prep each girls plan.  She wants all of us to do well and she’s super organized and on top of everything!

MW: How do you make a living? Another secret in bodybuilding is the starting  salary of an IFBB Pro which is exactly $ -200.00/annually. A  pot of gold and endless opportunity didn’t await you, right?

GA: [Laughter]  I look at my boyfriend with my cute smile and shake my butt and say “ bbbaabbbyy can you pleeeaasee” Just kidding. That’s so far from the truth. I must say I’m very motivated and I’m far from lazy. I’m a hustler baby! I have a BS in Communications and an M.B.A in Sports and Entertainment Marketing. I have a full time job in TV advertising and I also bar-tend 2-3x a week on top of booking hosting or modeling gigs and I train 1-2 times a day. So my days are full.

MW: You seem like a cool, funny down to Earth girl, GiGi. I respect that. Can I safely assume your better half is a man with a JOB with health insurance who thinks about his retirement? Please tell me such a fine woman such as yourself doesn’t date a lying, lazy secretive broke dick dog loser bodybuilder who lays on your couch all day eating you out of the rent.

GA: [Laughter] Yes.  My BF owns a couple business. I think he’s the supped up version of me. He’s driven, motivated and does extremely well for himself.  I need someone who’s motivated and isn’t lazy in life.  He’s vey supportive of what I do and that means a lot as far as he bodybuilding he definitely can compete and has the body for it but he likes to watch me instead.

MW: Good! That makes me feel better. I would have ended this interview and walked out of this gym if you told me you had a delusional bodybuilder with bad credit and bad resume at home staring into your fridge. So where do you see Bikini competition in the IFBB headed in 3-5 years?

GA: The next 3 years I think Bikini is going to be HUGE at every national show I did before I went Pro there were 40-45 girls in my height class. Usually there are like 300 Bikini girls competing in the division at every national pro qualifying show. In addition to the numbers I think girls in Bikini will be more leaned out, more muscle, much tighter all around as the years go by.

MW: In other words it will become Figure and Figure will be eliminated. I agree. Bikini is huge. It surpassed all other divisions. Men’s Bodybuilding is 100% dead.  Competitors often put thousands and thousands into a prep with travel, food, suits and other expenses with no return for winning. I’m no accountant but how does one justify that? Are you in this to make a career or are you just really passionate about it?

GA: Actually both. I love the journey getting to where I need to be. I have always been passionate about health and fitness and living a healthy lifestyle is like second nature to me. Competing is my motivation to do better and to set goals for myself. When I realized that you could make money doing something you love it made that much more sense to me. I’m all for it.

MW: Gigi. You’re getting ready for your first Pro show this month. I bet you’re excited. What are you doing different this time and what kind of improvements are you focusing on right now to bring a better presentation?

GA:  I’m doing a lot more cardio and doing completely different exercises that really target the areas I need to work on. For me it’s that I have to be just a tad leaner in my front thighs and bring my waist in tighter. I also know that I have to work on my posing so I can accentuate the better parts of my body. If I can get this all down right I know I can do well.

MW: Okay. Fun stuff. Ready? If you can kick anybody in the bodybuilding industry square between the shoulder blades down a flight of stairs who would it be? Most people would say me. 

GA: [Laughter] So I’ve heard. Honestly? I’m a lover not a hater. I want everyone to do well. We all have our time to shine.

MW: If you can squeeze the glutes or motorboat the pecs of any pro bodybuilder who would it be?

GA:   Shane! I know you’re trying to get me in trouble. Can I skip this question?

MW: If you were stuck for a month on a deserted island which 3 things would you wish you had with you the most?

GA: A good knife. A plate of white chocolate chip cookies and a good bottle of wine!

MW: What are some things you can’t go to the gym without

GA: My iPod. My workout book log and schedule.

MW: If you can make one huge difference to this world that would influence the masses what would it be?

GA:  To be honest I get asked a lot of questions at the gym about my diet and training.  I can see that so many people get discouraged and if I can help them in anyway I will. I love when I can help motivate others. I truly believe that with the right guidance everyone can start on the path of a healthy lifestyle. So I wish I can teach the world the importance of living a clean healthy active life.

MW: Outside of the glamour & glitz of the stage tell us one thing about Gigi Amurao that most people do not know.

GA: I have a type A personality. I’m really down to Earth and I love the Giants.  I also have an obsession with things that goes fast like race cars, jet planes etc. Honestly,  I’m such a tomboy. I love watching football, and playing card games or just relaxing with my friends.

MW: Congratulations, Gigi. You officially survived an interview with Muscleweek.com. Is there anything you’d like to plug or promote? How does one get in contact with you for possible sponsorship or modeling opportunity?

GA:  Contacting me is easy. Just shoot over an email to Gigiamurao@gmail.com.  I just want to thank Muscleweek for taking an interest in a gal like me. It was fun and not as bad as I thought it would be.

Bonus Questions:

- Favorite Cheat Meal:  PIZZA and White Chocolate chip macadamia cookies.

- Favorite Clean Meal:  Oatmeal with Almond Butter.

- NYC Pizza or Chicago Style Pizza:  NYC baby. I’m a total New Yorker at heart.

- Rangers or Islanders:  Rangers

- Favorite Alcoholic Drink: . [Laughter!] All of them. Kidding. Umm,  Avion Tequila or wine.

- Favorite NYC Gym:  This gym here ( NYSC)  but I’m really into David Barton Gym in Miami.

- Obama or Romney:  Obama.

- Last Book Read:  Holy Cow!  I read articles these days I have no time to read an actual book.

- Favorite Vacation Destination:  Greece and Cabo San Lucas.

*If you would like to be interviewed with Muscleweek.com contact Shane@muscleweek.com .

Muscleweek’s Senior Editor, Shane Ray on another business venture in The Big Apple never stops working.  Always on the hunt and hungry like a wolf  for a new story or new interview for Muscleweek.com . Often interviews are conducted in the most obscure places on a whim. Standing outside the American Airlines terminal at La Guardia Aiport, Shane Ray spots the wild haired and beautiful Amira Lamb about to get into a cab. Using instinct and a little bit of experience he rushes over to the cab and says to her…

“Hey. Thanks for getting the door for me. My name is Shane. You can take this cab with me if you want but you if you do then you must do an interview with me for Muscleweek.com .”

With a coy laugh and the power of persuasion, Amira agrees and the 2hr cab ride to Brooklyn paid off and Shane didn’t even make her pay for her ride.

MW:  Amira. Welcome to Muscleweek. This has to be the 3rd time this year I’ve been to The Big Apple. Right off the bat tell me what the best movie ever made in NYC is and don’t say Home Alone -2.

AL: So many good movies were made here. I’d have to say either Coming To America or Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

MW:  I was leaning more towards  KIDS  or  The Warriors but Coming To America was great. You told me once that you are a full-time fitness professional. Explain to me what exactly you do and give me some more information about your company – Hollistic Hottie.

AL: I’m a New York City-based certified trainer, group fitness instructor, nutrition & holistic lifestyle professional, and entrepreneur. I’ve been passionate about exercise, nutrition and holistic wellness for most of my life – so my company Holistic Hottie Inc provides online and in-person individualized coaching to individuals seeking a healthier lifestyle and their best body.

MW:   Have you always been really involved in the fitness industry? I can tell you’re very passionate about it. What led you in this direction?

AL:
I grew up studying gymnastic and dance plus idolizing al the fitness gurus on TV like the 20 minute workout ladies, Gilad, Donna Richardson, Kiana Tom, and Cory Everson.  And then as soon as I turned 18 I got certified to teach group exercise.  I went to school at Umass Amherst and there I designed my own major concentrating on exercise science, health promotion, nutrition and business. After graduation I studied and certified through NASM, AFAA, Power Pilates, Stott Pilates, the CHEK institute, and Functional Diagnostic Nutrition.

MW: I have to ask you. As a woman of ethnicity has it ever been a challenge living a lifestyle of clean eating and regular physical fitness? I spoken to many Figure & Bikini girls in Chicagoland who are black and most of them told me they face adversity from their family, relatives and friends on a regular basis as this lifestyle doesn’t fit in the norm of their culture or upbringing.

AL: I’ve never really cared what others thought about my eating and exercise habits. I’ve never felt any peer pressure to eat a certain way to fit in.

MW: You agree that the best medicine is preventive medicine, correct? Why do you think the AMA pushes the dependency of prescription medicine instead of living a lifestyle of discipline and common sense? Are we as a country doomed?

AL: Living a lifestyle of discipline and common sense doesn’t fit the culture we have of immediate gratification. Plus that kind of lifestyle isn’t what makes huge corporations rich. As a country we are not necessarily doomed. There are pockets of growing awareness all around the country. But if the nation made a cultural shift that embraced discipline and common sense, our economy would crumble.

MW: Do you feel the fitness lifestyle is still considered taboo in our country? I think people who do not eat, drink and smoke to excess levels are considered lame by society stigma. Will people who live the fitness lifestyle ever get past the stigma of living on carrots & celery and being in the gym for 8hrs a day?

AL: I think it’s lame to eat, drink, and smoke to excess levels. But it’s also lame to be in the gym 8 hrs a day. Excess generally is not a good thing. Regarding the stigma – I don’t see it.

MW:  Let’s talk about the competition aspect of you. So you’re a Bikini girl in the NPC. How did you find this circus? With all due respect you got in the game at a later age.

AL: I’m a national level bikini competitor with the NPC. I’ve followed the sport of bodybuilding and fitness for quite some time. When bikini came onto the scene, I liked that aesthetic and finally decided to compete right after my 35th birthday. I won my first show (Metroplitans in NYC), qualified for nationals and placed 4th in my height class and 4th in masters at Team U. So yes,  I started later in life than some but it hasn’t hindered me any way in my opinion.

MW: Do you see yourself more of an athlete or a pageant contestant? What’s the main difference between a Hawaiian Tropic show, Toddlers & Tiaras and bikini in the NPC?

AL: Definitely an athlete. Hawaiian tropic is a model contest with an evening gown round in addition to bikini. While some NPC bikini competitors are also bikini models. I think the majority of us are athletes first. We train hard. Are you really trying to compare what I do with Toddlers & Tiaras?

MW: Lots of girls put thousands and thousands of dollars into a prep with suits, trainer, travel, food prep and so many other things. The return is usually if not every single time absolutely nothing. I’m not financial adviser but how does one justify that?

AL: People compete for different reasons. For me, it suits my lifestyle perfectly. Plus it makes me a better trainer and coach. 

MW: It is no secret that competition in the most commercially successful organization for bodybuilding is very political and often said corrupted. Are you realistic about the end result of competition for you or do you have aspirations of winning a pro card and living the life on endless opportunity and riches like so many do?

AL: Politics are in every competitive sport or event where the judging is subjective rather than quantitative. You see that in gymnastics and competitive dance as opposed to something like volleyball or swimming. Would I like to achieve the status of IFBB Pro? Sure. But i don’t put all my eggs in one basket. I enjoy the competition world and take it for what it is. I’m there to create my own opportunities and build my fitness and holistic lifestyle brand – Holistic Hottie Inc.

MW: Should a girl these days even bother competing if they don’t have the right trainer or Team affiliation? Gone are the days when competitors didn’t have any of that. They used a mirror only and hoped for the best.

AL: I think so. Especially if it fits their lifestyle already or if they just want to set a personal goal.

MW: You seem to be a well traveled and well cultured girl. You’re articulate and you seem to have a lot going for you. Is it safe to say that you don’t ever date broke dick dog loser unemployed competitive bodybuilders? I assume your significant other has a J-O-B with health insurance and a future, correct?

AL: [Laughter] That’s correct, Mr. Shane.

MW: A common expression is Shit Rolls Downhill. Back about 10 years ago when Figure came on the scene the female bodybuilders resented them as did the Fitness girls. Now with Bikini it seems that they are the whipping girls. Is there a feeling of tension or resentment backstage at these shows or is everyone one big happy supportive family?

AL: I tend to be oblivious to any displays of tension or resentment backstage. So in my opinion it’s one big happy family.

MW:  What is the goal here for Amira Lamb? IFBB Pro Card? What happens after that? Let’s talk long term here.

AL:  My primary focus is on developing my fitness and holistic lifestyle brand Holistic Hottie. Regarding competing – I have some pro qualifier shows I am entering.  Let’s see how I do there and then I’ll get back to you.

MW: Let’s have some fun now. Okay. Who is your industry husband? Whose glutes do you just want to squeeze and pecs you want to motorboat?

AL: [Laughter] Ummm. I think I’ll keep that one to myself. Next question, Shane.

MW: If you can kick one person in the bodybuilding industry square between the shoulder blades who would it be?

AL: I said I do want my pro card so I’m not answering that! You’re trouble. I can tell.

MW: If you knew you were going to be stuck on a desert island for a month what 3 items would you bring with you?

AL: Good question. Let’s see. Stevia extract. My iPhone and a Swiss Army Knife.

MW: Supplements: Which ones do you find most beneficial?

AL: Nutrabio’s glutamine, a quality magnesium and Ignite Natural’s Adrenal Reboot.

MW: If you can change one thing about the bodybuilding industry what would it be?

AL: I’d like to see more natural and whole foods-based supplements promoted in industry magazines such as Nutrabio and Ignite naturals.

MW:  Okay. Fine. If you can change one thing about the world what would it be?

AL: [Laughter] That sounds like a Miss America question. Where do I start?

MW: Amira. You survived an interview with Muscleweek.com. That wasn’t so bad, was it? What would you like to plug or promote? How does one get in contact with you for possible sponsorship or modeling opportunity?

AL: My email: Amira@HolisticHottie.com My company website: www.HolisticHottie.com

 BONUS QUESTIONS:

Favorite Clean Meal: Any organic/wild/pastured lean protein with a Korean sweet potato and a little coconut oil.
Favorite Cheat Meal: Lulu's Maca Chunk Chocolate Bar. But I'll even eat those up until the last week before a show..
NY Rangers or NY Islanders: Rangers!
Yankess or Mets: Mets.
Chicago style pizza or NYC style pizza: I don't eat pizza. Don't judge!
Favorite Exercise: Deadlifts.
Favorite Gym: New York Sports Clubs.
Favorite Song: It's impossible to narrow down but I could listen to just Prince and Bob Marley for the rest of my life and be content.
Concert You See Every Year: Prince
Favorite Drink: Water.
Favorite Vacation Destination: Someplace warm with a world-class spa, beach, gym, farm-to-table dining and a zip line. 

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger Movie: The Last Stand Trailer and Preview

Arnold fans must be pumped and feeling better than cumming at the idea of their hero starring in a new action movie. Do you think it looks good? Is Johnny Knoxville a good sidekick for Arnold or does it look like a movie only a jackass could love?

Your thoughts are welcome here!