Muscleweek Senior Editor not only has a scorching contagious case of Yellow Fever but he also has Stanley Cup fever. After being given complimentary tickets to Game 2 of the Los Angeles Kings & New Jersey Devils finals, Shane left the Prudential Center on Broad St. in Newark, New Jersey and headed east 45 minutes down I-280 over the Washington Bridge and into the (718) also known as The Boogie Down Bronx where he met up with Men’s Physique competitor, local Goodfella who the natives call “Frankie From Da Block” and all around Big Apple hustler, Frank Fata.
After a quick workout at STAR FITNESS and a few thin slices from Coal’s Pizza on Eastchester, Shane sat down with a wad of Skoal mint in his mouth as he spoke to this rising star in Men’s Physique.
MW: Frank. Welcome to Muscleweek. Let’s get this out of the way right now. Where were you in 1994 when the New York Rangers won the Stanley Cup sending the Vancouver Canucks home with their heads slung low tails knocked in the dirt. I remember Mark Messier proudly hoisting the Cup high in the air.
FF: I remember that night well. I was actually playing baseball at the time and my team was in extra innings. I was pitching and wound up winning the game. All a sudden we seen cars driving by honking their horns and Rangers fans with flags running down the street screaming. We knew they won so I guess you can say it was an overall great night.
MW: I bet. So,Frank. Were you born and bred in Gotham City or are you a native elsewhere?
FF: I was born in Metropolis, right after I crashed down in a meteor. [Laughter] No. I know what you mean. I was born & bred here in New York. There’s no other place like it on Earth. It truly is the 1st World Class city in the world, man. Don’t you like this better than that horse shit you all have in Chicago?
MW: Hey. I love horse shit slapped on deep dish crust with the sauce on top. Tell me what is a better movie: Beat Street or The Warriors?
FF: I have to go with Warriors on this one. I’m big into fighting movies. CAN YOU DIG IT?
MW: I agree with you but tell me you wouldn’t flip Rae Dawn Chong inside out. So you’re a Men’s Physique competitor. Did you compete in bodybuilding before? What made you flip?
FF: I never competed in Bodybuilding. I never was a big framed guy. I pretty much stay lean and in shape all year round. When I saw Men’s Physique division come into place, I had to be a part of it. I put on muscle and get lean very easily but knowing my frame and the type of skeleton I have I knew there wouldn’t be much for me in Bodybuilding without resorting to being a walking pin cushion. Forget that shit.
MW: I think the future of the bodybuilding industry is in Men’s Physique. I see more and more guys landing opportunity that route -vs- bodybuilding. Why do you think that is?
FF: I think Men’s Physique is going to overshadow bodybuilding because there are more opportunities for them. For example, supplement companies are going to use more physique guys to sell thier products. Another reason is the dudes that can’t make it in bodybuilding are trimming down to try their luck in Physique. The big look is slowly dying out. PLUS, girls like the beach body better. Only freaks & weirdos want to look like Ronnie Coleman from 5 years ago. I am telling you that Men’s Physqiue will be the savior of the bodybuilding industry. All guys want to look like us when only a few scarce guys want to look like bloated over-inflated gargantuans. It’s about time the marketing side of bodybuilding have something to work with now. If you think about it all this time they had guys like Frank Sepe or a Mike O’Hearn. They just thought most people wanted to be Markus Rhul. Oh, they were so very very wrong.
MW: Some argue that Men’s Physique is simply Men’s Bodybuilding with less drugs or no drugs at all. Can one compete in Physique without ramming 23g needles in their asses every other day?
FF: I should hope so. You are half-right. Physique competitors do not need the mass or definition that a bodybuilder requires. So there really is no sense to take performance enhancers. I mean I’m sure it will put you over the top of your competition but I think its not needed. Just hard work and good old dedication will do the trick but I still heard of some Physique guys already exceeding a gram a week and adding in things only serious bodybuilders would be interested in like insulin and growth hormone. I think steroids are fine if you know how to use them and you’re educated on them but for my Division I don’t see much use. I have really good genetics anyway.
MW: What’s a typical cycle for Men’s Physique guys -vs- Men’s Bodybuilding? Do some guys go over a gram a week or do we keep it more conservative. Say if I wanted to do Men’s Physique. What would you advise me to run?
FF: Like I said before, its not needed so I couldn’t really tell you. If you want to know what cycle to run, your going to have to google that shit. If you really want one from me, here it is: Whatever you did when you were bodybuilding. Now cut the dosage by 70%. There. This is the only thing I personally do: Cellucor C4 for pre-workout and post-workout I have some BCAA’s, Glutamine and some Creatine with a scoop of Vitargo. Simple.
MW: Is Men’s Physique as subjective as Men’s Bodybuilding? I hear stories of guys believing they were “marked down” because of the style of their shorts.
FF: It is subjective but not as much as bodybuilding. The division is still new and fresh so they are still tweaking it. However, I did see a couple of guys get disqualified for wearing “regular shorts” instead of Board shorts. We all know that the powers that be will look for reasons to justify who they want to win. Not much changes.
MW: You living in the Big Apple doesn’t mean you are required to drive to WhineBurger’s gym and kiss his old ass for “favortism” does it?
FF: [Laughter] Not at all. Well at least I don’t. Never was my style. I work hard to achieve my goals. I’m sure there are some puckery lips out there smacking on his cheeks though. In fact, I know there is. Bitches!
MW: Frank. How is Men’s Physique training different than traditional Bodybuilding training? Less intensity? Different exercises? Descirbe it for the readers here.
FF: Most guys think that the training is a lot different than bodybuilding. I can tell you it is pretty close. I train with two of my buddies that are IFBB pro bodybuilders and I do the same intense workout that they do. Everyone has their own training techniques but in the end if you want lean muscle definition, you have to train hard for it. So to answer your question properly, yes we train just as hard as a bodybuilder. The biggest difference is the drugs like we said. Bottom line.
MW: So what are the perks of being a Men’s Physique guy. I imagine you make it rain with the ladies, right?
FF: I always thought women liked big muscular men, but over the years I learned that 85% of them like Men’s Physique body better. SO I GOT STARTED right away. Think about it. If I was broke I could go to Chippendale’s and work a night and make money. Or I can be a male stripper catering to women. Right? Big bulky bodybuilders make money from who? Who is their market? What clubs can they make money in? I rest my case. >
MW: I agree. Yes. Most bodybuilders hustle gay men with a fetish for muscle simply because very very few women care about extreme muscle. Men who are serious about bodybuilding only do it to make other men notice them. We both know more women like a man with a typical Men’s Physique body like you pointed out.
FF: Totally. I never really had a problem in that department but I have to say ever since I started Men’s Physique, my Facebook friends went way up coming from mostly fitness chicks. I mean it’s not legit unless FB says so. I don’t mind some chicks knocking at my door. Despite what you guys on Muscleweek say about fitness chicks I love giving those girls the ol’ “I have to be up early tomorrow so….. I have to go!” routine. [Laughter]
MW: So has the amount of boots you knocked skyrocketed since you made the switch?
FF: The boot knocking opportunity has def hit an all time high. Boots been knocking from Timberlands all the way to Lugz and still going. Some of my bodybuilding buddies told me once they started to lean out and de-muscle a little they, too had more opportunity to knock out some ass. You guys are right. Men want big muscles to impress and attract compliments from men. Physique guys like me soak up the attention from women. It’s so true.
MW: We know facebooks is infested with every creep in the world. How often do you get e-mails from creeps with solicitations and propositions? How do you handle it?
FF: Occasionally I will get a creep messaging me for my posing shorts, my soiled underwear or a naked pic. After I throw up in my mouth, I just delete it and wish I never even took the time to read it. Fuck! Those schmoes creep me the fuck out.
MW: So what’s the ultimate goal here? A Pro Card or are you just having fun with this competition stuff as a hobby?
FF: I def want to get my pro card. I say MY cause I will get it this July at Team Universe. I will not stop at nothing. I really want to make a career at this. So the competition better bring it.
MW: If you can destroy any ass in this industry who would it be? For me it is still Monica Brant.
FF: Oh man, I love Monica Brant too. I also like Jennifer Nicole Lee. Had a few wet ones with her in it. I’d hit that ass with the Hammer of Thor.
MW: Supplements: Do you even bother? Most of the crap on the market is just flavored coffee with some creatine in it. Do you use anything?
FF: The only supplements I use are Glutamine, BCAA and Whey Protein Isolate. Occasionally I will use a fast acting Carb like Vitargo or Karbalyn if I’m bulking. Im not really into the heart pounding out of my chest pre work-out supplements. I don’t need to give myself a heart attack. God will do that for me in time.
MW: Good. Save your money. Stick with the few basics and leave it there. Where do you see the future of Men’s Physique going? Will it eclipse Men’s Bodybuilding in popularity and commercial success?
FF: I see men’s physique going pretty far. Its only been around a couple of years and it has trippled in numbers of competitors. For instance my last show had about 25 competitors in my class alone. Bodybuilding barely has 25 total competitors at local shows now. Most bodybuilders I know are considering flipping. Who the hell wants to eat like a slob and be a pin cushion every day and walk around uncomfortable and constipated all day? Forget that noise!
MW: I agree. Bodybuilding is so 2003. Now it’s one big butt of a joke with synthol lumps, Palumboism, bad injections being told are torn biceps, growth hormone and insulin guts I can go on forever. Besides the gym life. What else is Frank Fata interested in?
FF: Besides the gym I am a personal trainer and actor. I been acting since I was a kid and currently have my own production company where we make films, videos and commercials. If you need to know more, Google me. I’ve worked besides some big celebrities before.
MW: Frank. Is there anything you would like to plug or promote? How does one get in contact with you for sponsorships or opportunity?
FF: I know the sponsors are trying to knock at my door for my physique and really good looks. Unfortunately they are at the wrong door. They can find me on my Facebook page www.facebook.com/#!/frank.fata.7, on twitter @twittynews1 or just good old fashioned email ffata22@gmail.com. Oh. I would like to give a shout out to my people at Muscletech and Cellucor.
BONUS QUESTIONS:
NY Rangers or NY Islanders? Rangers. I was bummed when Jersey bounced them out of the playoffs.
NY style pizza or Chicago style? New York. Thin slice owns that thick sloppy shit you eat in Chicago.
Best movie ever made in New York? I Am Legend.
Favorite Exercise? Anything related to bicep training.
Favorite Cheat Food? Quarter Pounders from McDonalds.
Favorite alcoholic drink? Goose & Club. What is that? A Four Loko? You’re a sick guy, Shane. You know that?
Skoal or Kodiak? Neither! I don’t know how you do that shit. Must be a Chicago thing!
Word Association: I drop a name and you tell me what the first word that comes to mind.
Aaron Singerman: Steroids.
Steve Blechman: Smart guy. Kind of weird.
Dave Palumbo: Meathead. Ruins people’s physiques.
Mark Anthony: Legend. Is it true what your site says about him and Jay Cutler?
JM Manion: Photographer. Kind of corny.
Dana Linn Bailey: Hot. I heard she placed last at the NY Pro because of Muscleweek. I don’t know how true that is.
Juan “baby shaker” Morel: Cool guy. Shame about what he did to his son, though.