FLEX is Australia’s and the world’s leading hardcore bodybuilding magazine. It delivers cutting edge information on diet, nutrition and muscle growth that will help you grow stronger faster. For those who are serious about their bodies.
Q I’m not looking to be a competitive weightlifter. Should I bother training heavy? – CHRIS, VIA FACEBOOK I’ve always preached the importance of making the mind-muscle connection in your training – focusing on how a weight makes your muscles feel rather than how much you’re actually lifting. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give some consideration to the weight you use. After all, weight training is about progressive overload, and if you don’t eventually increase the load, your body won’t have reason to progress. Every great bodybuilder I know started out with basic movements and trained them very heavy. Franco Columbu was a world-class powerlifter; Sergio Oliva was on Cuba’s Olympic weightlifting team. I competed in both of these sports while bodybuilding. For one thing, it feels great to…
THE FIFTH ELEMENT What is it with German bodybuilders and fifth place at the O? In 2002, Günter Schlierkamp, who, in his previous four O appearances had never cracked the top 10, leapfrogged to fifth. In 2006, Dennis Wolf’s Olympia debut ended with a big fat DNP. But the following year, a new star was born as Wolf took fifth. Both men went from good to elite-level bodybuilders. GREATEST ARMS EVER Arms, the showstopper body part adored by all. There have certainly been some great arms raised in victory on the Olympia stage, but which pair can lay claim to being the greatest of all time? Here’s what the FLEX staff thought: 1 PHIL HEATH 2 RONNIE COLEMAN 3 ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER 4 SERGIO OLIVA 5 LARRY SCOTT 6 DEXTER JACKSON…
We all love those stories where the little guy topples the big fella. Unfortunately, the Davids of the Olympia stage don’t have the aid of a trusty rock and sling to level their bigger foes. From 1973 to 1975, 188cm Arnold Schwarzenegger defeated 165cm Franco Columbu. And during his reign, 180cm Lee Haney beat out 157cm Mohamed Makkawy, 165cm Lee Labrada, and 160cm Mohammed Benaziza. And who can forget 147cm Flavio Baccianini next to 196cm Lou Ferrigno? Still, two “little” dudes did have their day: Columbu in 1976 and 1981, and 167cm, 106kg Dexter Jackson in 2008. Take that, big bullies!…
Q Everyone focuses on the top two. What do you think about the other athletes? It’s definitely not a two-man show. There are many great athletes out there. It’s my job to knock the up-and-comers down. I have to be ready to do the work, and it’s not easy because they all want to kick my ass out there. In the end, though, it’s not about beating the others. I have to respect myself, and I have to compete against myself. To win, I have to be better than Phil Heath. Q HOW MUCH LONGER DO YOU THINK YOU’LL BE COMPETING? I figured out the other day that Ronnie Coleman won his first of eight Sandows at the age of 34. I won four by 34, and I’m 35 now.…
Q To get to the O stage, what’s more important: hard work or natural talent? It’s a double-edged sword. I know guys who are the hardest workers in the world, but they don’t have the genetics to make a go of it in bodybuilding. You’ve got to work hard, because natural talent will take you only so far. But I think genetics plays a huge role, and a person might not ultimately succeed without genetics on his or her side. What I can say for sure is that the combination of the two is lethal. Typical lunch? Chicken and quinoa. Q DO YOU SEE YOURSELF AS THE RONNIE COLEMAN OF THE 212 DIVISION? I’m relatively young, got a few years left, and there’s currently no thought of leaving. But I’m…
1 Were you athletic growing up? I did stunt cheerleading in college, where the girls are thrown in the air. It’s very technical and athletic and involves a lot of jumping, tossing and pyramid work. 2 Are your fitness goals different now from when you first started competing? At this point in my career, there’s no pressure. I’ve done the Bikini Olympia and placed in the Bikini International. Now I can just focus on being the best I can be with no distractions. 3 What’s your favourite body part? Glutes. I do the most work on them. It doesn’t come naturally to me, so I’m definitely most proud of my bum. 4 What’s a mistaken belief people have about bikini comps? That we don’t work out really hard. Or that…
