Flex UK - February 2015

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FEBRUARY 2015 4.20www.flexonline.co.uk

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015 PHIL HEATH 5 RULES FOR A PERFECT PHYSIQUE VOICE OF CHAMPIONS

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FEBRUARY 2015

cover photograph by PER BERNAL

VOLUME 32 NUMBER 11

features 28 KING KONG KHAN Training chest hard and smart

with the king.

38 THE FOURTH DIMENSION

Phil Heath wins his fourth Sandow at the 50th Mr Olympia.

62 OLYMPIA ALL-ACCESS Go everywhere and meet everyone

at the 2014 Olympia Weekend.

70 ROMANS EMPIRE German giant Roman Fritz is

seeking new worlds to conquer. 82 WHEN THEORY

MEETS PRACTICE Applying hierarchy theory to

build the complete package. 90 THE KINGMAKER Neil Hill, one of the worlds

leading contest prep experts, on working with 212 Olympia champ Flex Lewis, and his other big clients.

100 BEING FRANK Training secrets from the

legendary Frank Zane.

cover photograph by PER BERNAL

Phil Heath wins his fourth Sandow

OLYMPIA ALL-ACCESSGo everywhere and meet everyone

champ Flex Lewis, and his other

38

28

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CLASSIC MUSCLE

136 NEWS Young and gifted 138 THE PROFESSIONAL Ryan John-Baptiste becomes the

UKs second IFBB mens physique pro after winning the 2014 British Championships.

140 INTERNATIONAL AMBITIONS

Bikini fitness competitor Gizelle Higginson doesnt let running businesses on two continents stop her from getting in shape.

142 RYAN TERRY The IFBB mens physique pro on

why hes tempted to switch to bodybuilding

146 NINA ROSS The British bikini pro on why she

trains for strength

148 LOOKING BACK A look back at the career of

Mohammed Benaziza

12 Welcome The greatest or the latest? 14 Arnolds Page Pectoral perfection 16 Its Only My Opinion Gunner 20 Hard Times The race to Las Vegas; and more! 108 Gym Bag Research and training tips

for your next workout 112 Advanced Nutrition The latest food and

supplement news 116 Lift Strong Using the power rack to blast

through training plateaus 120 Extreme Muscle How to keep building muscle

as you get older

DEPARTMENTS 122 Anabolic Academy Cluster training 126 Advanced Bodybuilding Heavy squats for big arms? 127 Pump It Chase the pump for greater gains 128 The Freak Speaks! Anth the Freak Bailes answers

your questions. 132 European Muscle Bodybuilding news and

views from around the continent

156 Under the Microscope We put Beast Sports Creature

under the microscope. 158 Bodybuilder of the Month Athlete profile 160 The Shot 212 Champion

90

100

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8 FLEX

Weider PUBLiCATiONS, LLC A SUBSidiAry Of AmeriCAN mediA, iNC.Chairman, President & Chief exeCutive OffiCer David Pecker

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by john plummer, editorial director

THE GREATEST OR THE LATEST?

Phil Heath has now won four Olympia titles and some are

already claiming his physique is the greatest of all time. Others say he is the best of a mediocre bunch and that there arent as many great bodybuilders today as there were in the 1990s when the likes of Dorian Yates, Flex Wheeler, Kevin Levrone and Shawn Ray did battle.

Only Ronnie Coleman, Lee Haney, Dorian Yates and Arnold Schwarzenegger have more Sandows so Heath, who is just 35 years old, could beat every record in the book. But would that make him the best?

Heath doesnt have the freak factor of a Coleman or a Kai Greene. In fact, when hes dressed he almost looks like a regular guy.

And its true that some of his individual poses, such as back double biceps, arent as spectacular as Yates or Colemans. But Heaths physique flows in a way neither of those two mens did and when he poses everything comes alive. Few bodybuilders have combined 3D muscle with aesthetics better than he does. Check out the photos in this months edition.

The Gift isnt there yet, but I suspect that in five or 10 years time his name will feature prominently in every discussion on the greatest of all time.

Closer to home this month we have expanded our Classic Muscle section, which caters for men and women who train for a less extreme look. Mens physique, bikini fitness and bodyfitness are continuing to boom around the world. We profile new British mens physique pro Ryan John-Baptiste, and British bikini pro Nina Ross begins a new column by talking about why she trains for strength even though she is judged on aesthetics.

It may be a quiet time of year for competitive bodybuilding but weve got plenty of inspiration and advice to keep your training progressing over the long winter months. FLEX

12 FleX

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01782 28122201782 281222 Proper nutrition and regular training are essential to achieving your fi tness and bodybuilding goals. Facebook logo is owned by Facebook

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BY ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, EXECUTIVE EDITOR

PECTORAL PERFECTIONto your sides in a wide arc until your pecs are fully stretched or your hands are about level with your shoulders. Pause at the bottom, then bring the weights back up, following the same arc you took on the way down.

When I was competing, a common mistake that trainees often made was keeping their arms perfectly straight during the movement, which can put undue stress on the elbow joints. This seems to have been corrected since, with most people employing the slight elbow bend I just mentioned.

Two other examples of incorrect technique are using too much weight and lowering the dumbbells too far to the sides. The idea of using too

much weight doesnt need much explanation. Flyes arent a power exercise, and if you cant perform reps without excessively bending your elbows, youre working too heavy. In this case, decrease the weight. If youre struggling with 40-pound dumbbells, try 30s or 25s. Using too great a range of motion is the second recipe for disaster. Once youve lowered the weights to the point at which your hands are level with your shoulders or you can feel a moderate, not painful, stretch in the pecs, thats far enough. Lowering too far puts way too much stress on the

The dumbbell flye is the best chest isolation movement you can perform

Dumbbell flyes have always been a mainstay of my chest programme. Since the function of the pecs is to pull the upper arms forwards and towards the centre of the body, flyes are designed as an isolation exercise that hits the chest without involving the triceps or other muscles. As such, it is a great movement for hitting the pecs with maximum intensity to achieve maximum growth. To do dumbbell flyes correctly, lie face up on a flat, incline, or decline bench while holding the weights above you and over your face. Turn your palms in so they face each other and bend your elbows slightly, keeping them at that angle throughout the movement. Next, lower the dumbbells out

pectoral muscles, shoulders and biceps, not to mention the vulnerable shoulder joint itself. To avoid this, always lower the dumbbells slowly so that momentum doesnt carry you past the desired range of motion. Again, as soon as you feel the onset of a stretch in your pecs, switch directions smoothly. Remember, nothing sets your development back further faster than serious injury.

You need to stay within your limits, train with the appropriate weight, and use safe, exacting technique to keep your develop-ment on schedule. FLEX

EXERCISE SETS REPS

Barbell or Machine Bench Press 34 810

Incline Dumbbell Press 34 1012

Dip 3 1520

Flat or Incline Dumbbell Flye 3 1215

HAPPYFLYEING

Many trainees do flyes at the end of their routines, after the pecs are warmed up. Heres a chest workout that incorporates that approach.

14 FLEX

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BY chris lund, uk editor since 1985 photo BY chris lund

When I first started photographing out of Koloseum Gym in Costa

Mesa, California, I quickly got to know a very friendly bodybuilder named Gunner, who was the strongest and hardest training bodybuilder in the entire gym, weighing around 250 pounds at 5 ft 8 ins. He was a full-time personal trainer and always trained his first client of the day at 6 am. Three times a week he would drive over to Koloseum Gym for his own workout at 11 am, just as the Chris Lund travelling circus was arriving to photograph its first victim of the day.

When youre shooting powerhouse bodybuilders such as Ronnie Coleman, or Jay Cutler, you need to make sure you have enough helpers to lift those 170- or 200-pound dumbbells into position. I only had one assistant when I first started working out of the Koleseum Gym and I was always getting frustrated because I needed more help. When I looked around the gym for volunteers to help us with these dumbbells, it didnt take long to work out who my friends were: most of the big guys either looked the other way, sneaked off to the toilet or headed for the water fountain.

Gunner saved us on more than one occasion: he would always step forward and say, Hey, I will help you guys out. And thats just what he would do. Many times he would nonchalantly pick up a 200-pound dumbell like it was childs toy.

After one tremendously heavy photo session with the one and only Ronnie Coleman, I sat down for a chat with Gunner, so that I could find out more about him. First of all I asked him if Gunner was his real name.

My real name is Brett Gunderson, he

GUNNERreplied, but everyone has called me Gunner for as long as I can remember.

How come youre so strong? I asked. Ive never seen anyone in this gym lift as heavy as you do.

Well, you know, he replied, body-building was like love at first sight for me, and as far as strength is concerned, I guess I just loved becoming stronger and stronger the harder I trained. Its a passion, you could say. To be honest, I only use light weights to warm up my muscles.

Ive also noticed that you train with ferocious intensity. Why is this?

Because thats the only way to build bigger and stronger muscles. Dont let anyone fool you. Its impossible to get bigger and stronger using light or even medium poundages on your exercises. You would be amazed how many guys in here fail to push themselves to the limit. They come in here several days a week and use the same poundages, sets and reps that they always do. No wonder they never get bigger and stronger.

Maybe thats why you stand out in the gym, I replied. Every time I see you training, you are always pushing yourself to the maximum.

I dont know any other way, he replied with a great big grin on his face.

I then asked Gunner if he had ever competed in bodybuilding contests.

Sure, he replied. I won the super-heavyweight class at the 2000 Orange County Classic, but then I didnt even place at the NPC USA championships that same year. In 2002 I won the super-heavyweight class at the Orange County Classic again and then placed third in the heavyweight class at the California championships. This year [2004], I did pretty well. I won

the super-heavyweight class and overall at the Orange County Classic. I also won the super-heavyweight class at the California Championships.

I may do one more show next year and that will be it as far as contests are concerned. Its too time-consuming and difficult for me to prepare for a show. Remember I do actually work for a living, plus I know my limits.

[Editors note: Gunner placed 13th in the super-heavyweight class at the 2005 NPC USA Championships. He never competed again.]

You mean you have absolutely no desire to win the Mr Olympia? I asked.

Ive never had any aspiration to win the Olympia. The truth is, it would be almost impossible, because the odds are truly stacked against me.

Wow! I replied. I dont think Ive ever met a bodybuilder who isnt training to become Mr Olympia. Youre the first one, Gunner.

Gunner started laughing and then said, Yes, to me its a sad but true fact that every bodybuilder cant even become Mr America or Mr Universe, let alone Mr Olympia. The average bodybuilder simply doesnt have those amazing genes that only a handful of guys have. I mean, sure, some of them can actually make it to the Mr America or Mr Universe, but how many Mr Olympias have we had since the contest was created way back in 1965?

No, we havent had many, I agreed. During the past 30 years I have photo-graphed some of the greatest competitive bodybuilders on this planet, legends such as Kevin Levrone, Flex Wheeler, Shawn Ray, Mike Francois, Mike Mentzer, Paul Dillett, Jean-Pierre Fux, Rich Gaspari,

16 FLEX

BRETT GUNNER GUNDERSON SHOULDER PRESSING TWO 170 POUND DUmBBELLS

Serge Nubret, Bertil Fox and Tom Platz... They were all definitely good enough to win the Mr Olympia, but just not lucky enough to do so.

Anyway Gunner, whats your own philosophy towards being, and remaining, a healthy, bigger, stronger bodybuilder?

Well, as I said before, he replied, you simply have to love training, but most important of all, you should always have that genuine drive and desire to become bigger and stronger. Thats what sets us bodybuilders apart from everyone else. Its not really the contest thing. It never has

been in my eyes anyway. The truth is, competing was really good for my business.

But, what about those crazy high protein diets and steroids? Thats what most ill-informed people think its all about, dont they?

Unfortunately they do, and thats what really gets my back up, I can tell you. Speaking for myself I dont believe in all these crazy diets. Sure, I always try my best to stay away from saturated fats and sugar, but I never follow any of those ridiculous diets you hear about. I try my

best to follow a well balanced diet at all times, even though its hard for me because I have to work long hours training people.

How about steroids, Gunner? I asked. Steroids are the number one negative

factor in all of bodybuilding, but if youre not training for a contest, you dont need them at all.

I really miss Gunner. He was a great bodybuilder and a credit to the sport.

See you next month,and keep training,

Chris Lund FLEX

17FLEX 17FLEX

RACE TO LAS VEGAS

Jaku

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20 FLEX

Its official: Europe hosts two of the four most prestigious Mr Olympia qualifiers in the

world. The annual battle for places on stage in Las Vegas is the fiercest in bodybuilding. The winner of each show automatically qualifies and the five men who have accumulated the most points from the 2015 Olympia Qualification Series will join them.

The IFBB has listed how many points each pro show carries towards qualification. As part of this, it has divided all contests into four tiers.

The Arnold Classic in America, which takes place from March 5th to 8th, is the sole tier one event, carrying the maximum number of points for athletes finishing second to fifth.

Europe accounts for two of the three events in tier two. They are the Arnold Classic Europe and the EVLS Prague Pro. The New York Pro is the only other tier two event.

Its a huge vote of confidence in the promoters of the contests in Madrid and Prague, particularly as neither competition existed prior to 2011, and can only make the events more attractive to top bodybuilders.

The new Arnold Classic Australia, which succeeds the successful Australian Pro run by Tony Doherty, is listed as a tier three event, which means that even in its first year it will carry more prestige than many established pro shows.

Dennis Wolf has already booked his Olympia place

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In cold, wet Britain there arent many opportunities to shoot top physiques at sunset against spectacular backdrops. So when five of the countrys finest physiques were in Las Vegas, we persuaded them to head to nearby Red Rock Canyon

a national conservation area that, as the name suggests, contains some spectacular red sandstone rocks.

After navigating their way through some treacherous cacti-laden paths, and some strange looks from passers-by, they ignored the stones beneath their feet to pose for photographer Christopher Bailey.

Our intrepid five were bodybuilders Dean Lesiak, who is the reigning British light-heavy-weight champion, Neale Cranwell and Marc Hector, mens physique pro Ryan Terry, and bikini fitness star Georgia Simmons. They showed that the most impressive peaks arent only made by nature. FLEX

DESERT HEAT

Dean Lesiak

The best of British muscle at Red Rock canyon, Las Vegas:

L-R Neale Cranwell, Ryan Terry, Georgia Simmons, Dean Lesiak

and Marc Hector

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n Monday seems to be National Bench Press day. Walk into the gym on a Monday afternoon or evening and there will be guys sitting around waiting for a flat bench press to free up so they can assume the position and put up some iron. And guess what? Its just the same in the Sheffield gym where IFBB pro Zack Khan trains.

At 5'11" and an off-season 310 pounds, King Khan says his favourite body part to train is chest. From the sheer size of him60-inch chest, 24-inch armsyou might expect Khan to be bouncing 600 or more pounds off his chest. But this is a man who has been hurt and knows better. When Khan tore both tendons above his kneecaps hack squatting in mid-2010, the injury postponed this 2009 British Championships super-heavyweight and

overall winners pro debut all the way through to 2013 (when he placed seventh at the Dallas Europa Super Show). When he trains anything these days, he trains hard, but he trains smart.

Consider what he has to say about bench pressing: A lot of guys bench press four plates but have weak chests. Whys that? Theyre using their triceps and their front delts. They dont have that mind-muscle connection to their chests. When you bench press, you want your elbows up high towards your ears, so your arms are straight. Lots of people bring their arms down into their lats, which brings their triceps into it and lets them move more weight. Sure, they might be stronger, but what about their chest development?

A lot of guys BeNch Press four PlAtesbut have weak chests. whys that?

K I N G K O N GKHAN

training chest hard and smart with the King

29FLEX

MEAL 1 100 g oats, 1 chopped banana, 20 g raisins, 5 whole eggs, black coffee with coconut milk

MEAL 2 250 g chicken breast, 100 g white rice, 100 g vegetables

PRE-WORKOUT MEAL (3) Pre-workout formula, NO-booster, BCAAs

POST-WORKOUT MEAL (4) Protein shake with glutamine and creatine

MEAL 5 250 g beef, 100 g rice, 400 g sweet potato

MEAL 6 Cottage cheese with 300 g sweet potato

KHANS DAILY MEAL & SUPPLEMENTATION PLAN

n Khan warms up his chest with light sets of dumbbell flyes, shoulder presses, and triceps pushdowns. Hell cycle through each exercise four times, doing 10 reps per exercise. Im just trying to warm up all the muscles used when I train my chest, explains Zack.

His first set of bench presses, with one plate on either side of the bar for 20 reps, continues the warm-up. Khan will slap a second plate on both sides and pump out an easy 15 reps. From there he jumps up to his work weight: four plates. Khan will get as many reps as he can to failure, anywhere between 10 and 12 reps depending on how he feels that day. As he stated above, his elbows are flared out closer to his ears than his lats, making this as close to a pure pec movement as one can get. For his final set, Khan will drop the weight down and go to failure, at least 12 reps.

Flat Bench Press

30 FLEX

n Im warmed up from the benching, says Zack, so I can jump right into my heavy set of incline presses. Khans heavy set on this movement involves presses for at least 12 reps until he achieves momentary muscular failure. If I dont get at least 8 reps, I dont count that as a set.

If hes training by himself, Khan rests a minute to a minute-and-a-half between sets. If hes training with a partner, he rests long enough for his partner to do his set and then its Khans turn again. If youve ever seen him train in person or in videos, you know King Khan is quite vocal as he lifts: he grunts and curses, psyching himself up. He sounds angry. Fortunately the 300-pounders wrath is aimed at the iron.

Khan has been known to substitute inclines on a Smith machine or use dumbbells.

InclIneHammer

Press

31FLEX

n I mix it up from week to week, explains King Khan. If I did flat dumbbell flyes on Monday last week, this Monday Ill do cable flyes. Either exercise, you dont need to go too heavy. You want to concentrate on the contraction and squeeze at the top of the rep. Its like hugging a tree. At the top of the rep, hug the tree, extend your elbows straight, push your chest together and squeeze it. Whichever exercise hes doing, Khan will complete four sets of 15 reps. Remember, Khan says, These are about the feel, not the amount of weight youre moving.

cable flye

WORKOUT SPLITMONDAY Chest and tricepsTUESDAY Quads and calvesWEDNESDAY Cardio and absTHURSDAY Back and bicepsFRIDAY Shoulders and hamstringsSATURDAY OffSUNDAY Off

cHeST ROUTINEeXeRcISe SeTS RePSBench Press 56 1020

Incline Hammer Press 34 815

Pec-deck Flye or Flat Dumbbell Flye 4 15

Dip 2 2040

32 FLEX

n The Kings last chest exercise for the day is dips, which hell do either on a dip machine or a freestanding dip station. Ill do two sets for 2040 reps per set, depending on how strong Im feeling. The point is, Ill take each set to failure. And thats my chest workout, yeah. FLEX

DIPS

it s about

the feel,

not the amount of

weight youre

moving.

38 FLEX

Phil Heath wins his fourth Sandow at the 50th Mr Olympia

2014 MR OLYMPIA

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly theodore roosevelt, the man in the arena

THE FOURTH DIMENSION

by GREG MERRITT photographs by BILL COMSTOCK

39FLEX

The man in Orleans Arena raises his arms and pumps his fist. He flexes his chest and arms so hard he doubles over. He does so when he hears four-time Mr Olympia, before his name rings out, before he hugs the three-time runner-up, his arch rival, before he receives his gold medal, and an oversize version of his $275,000 cheque, and his fourth Sandowthis one 18 carat gold. This is the culmination of the 50th anniversary of Joe Weiders Olympia. The four-time Mr Olympia has his critics, a legion that will surely grow now that he won at less than his best and as impatient observers tire of the same conclusions. But once again Phil Heath strode into the arena, once again he fought valiantly, and once again he is the last gladiator standing.

40 FLEX

PHIL HEATH

1

GARY

PHILLIPS

41

360 Breakdown

ATHLETES MEETINGLets flash back to last years athletes meeting, when the carb-depleted competitors signed a few promotional posters. When Kai Greene added Mr Olympia 2013 to his autographs, repercussions reverberated around the body-building world. So what does he do this year? He signs Mr Olympia 2014, of course. Just behind him, the current Mr Olympia, sporting a doomed beard speckled with grey, is not amused.

Oh, did I do that? a coyly smiling Greene retorts when I ask him about the title he affixed to his name. Thoughts become things. Ive worked and paid, and Im still

willing to pay to see my own dream realised, and Im not afraid to vocalise that. The previous Olympias are in the history book, and you cant take anything away from what anyone accomplished then. But at this moment, 2014 is not certain.

Hes the polar opposite to what hes trying to portray, Heath says of his arch rival Greene. Of course, he believes in himself, as he should. Everyone should believe in himself, but to sign your name Mr Olympia, its kind of an unwritten rule in bodybuilding that you just dont do that. You respect the title. To do it again, it just lets me know this guy has no class.

smiling Greene retorts when I ask him about the title he affixed to his name. Thoughts become things. Ive worked and paid, and Im still

bodybuilding that you just dont do that. You respect the title. To do it again, it just lets me know this guy has no class.

CHRIS BA

ILEY

42 FLEX

KAI GREENE

2GA

RY PHILLIPS

43FLEX

The next day at the press conference, it takes one question from emcee Bob Cicherillo for the fireworks to erupt. Separated by an aisle on the daises, Heath and Greene address each other. Havent you learned from last year? the reigning Mr O asks the heir apparent. Respect the game. Thirteen men have earned the right to write [Mr Olympia].

Were going to show you how talk is cheap, Greene responds. The past is the past.

The back-and-forth grows increasingly contentious with Heath brushing off Greene and referencing his three victories in the manner of a winning player pointing to the scoreboard. This is what happens when you get desperate, he states.

Im going to show you desperate when we hit those quarter-turns, Greene replies.

Its a pleasure to be a part of the Kai Greene and Phil Heath show, Shawn Rhoden jokes. At the end of the day, we all train [to be No. 1].

Ultimately, this is indeed the Kai Greene and Phil Heath showa heavyweight title fight. When Heath is dedicating the contest to his biological father, who passed away in March, Greene interrupts him. Outrage rains down on Greene from Heaths sister in the audience. Greene brings up his childhood in government institutions and the fact that hes never met his dad. You think youre the only one who went through anything, Heath retorts.

When Mr O says that all he does is beat Greene and

PRESS CONFERENCE

The next day at the press conference, it takes

the fireworks to erupt. Separated by an aisle

contentious with Heath brushing off Greene and referencing his three victories in the manner of a winning player pointing to the scoreboard. This is what happens when you get desperate, he states.

Im going to show you desperate when we hit

Its a pleasure to be a part of the Kai Greene and Phil Heath show, Shawn Rhoden jokes. At the end

Ultimately, this is indeed the Kai Greene and Phil Heath showa heavyweight title fight. When Heath is dedicating the contest to his biological father,

hes going to do it again, a glowering Greene replies, So lets do it then. Kick my assets then. Im here. The records of Greenes nutritionist (George Farrah) and Heaths (Hany Rambod) are bandied about. Cicherillo eventually gets Greene to succinctly state three reasons why hell defeat the reigning Mr O: Ill outweigh him by 40 pounds. Ill be wider. And itll be all over from the rear.

When, in turn, three-time Mr O Heath is asked for three reasons why hell beat Greene, his reply is destined to live on long after his reign ends: 2011, 2012, and 2013. The audience erupts. Even Greene has to smile. But the deep wounds opened up with barbed words will only fester until the real battle begins.

44 FLEX

PHO

TO C

RED

IT

2014 MR OLYMPIA

HEAD TO HEAD PHIL vs. KAIGA

RY PHILLIPS

45FLEX

PHO

TO C

RED

IT

2014 IFBB MR OLYMPIASept. 1920, Orleans Arena; Las Vegas, NV

COMPETITOR COUNTRY PRIZE MONEY

1. Phil Heath* USA $275,000

2. Kai Greene* USA $130,000

3. Shawn Rhoden* USA $90,000

4. Dennis Wolf* Germany $55,000

5. Dexter Jackson* USA $45,000

6. Branch Warren USA $35,000

7. Mamdouh Elssbiay Egypt $25,000

8. Victor Martinez Dominican Republic $20,000

9. Steve Kuclo USA $19,000

10. Juan Morel USA $16,000

11. Johnnie Jackson USA $4,000

12. Roelly Winklaar Curaao $4,000

13. Fred Smalls USA $4,000

14. Jonathan DeLaRosa USA $4,000

15. William Bonac Netherlands $4,000

16. Ibrahim Fahim Egypt $2,000

16. Jojo Ntiforo USA $2,000

*Qualified for the 2015 IFBB Mr Olympia

CEL

EB

RATING 50 YEARSC

ELEB

RATING 50 YEARSC

ELEB

RATING 50 YEARS

Presents

Brought to you by

46 FLEX

SHAWN RHODEN

3

HEAD TO HEAD SHAWN vS. DENNIS

COMPETITOR NO. 1 At prejudging the next evening, Branch Warren is the first to saunter to centre stage. Hes 39, and his ninth place at last years O was widely interpreted as the beginning of a slide to oblivion. Think again. This Texan brings too much passion to the gym and the stage. He isnt at his peak, but hes closegrainy, veiny, and with his trademark leg, chest, and back density. At the end of his mandatory poses, he pumps his fist at the appreciative audience, as if to say to haters and supporters alike, How you like me now?

In 2012, Shawn Rhoden won four pro shows and finished third in the Olympia, leaping from also-ran to top contender. Ever since, weve been waiting for him to make the shorter jump to the top. But its extremely rare for a pro to make one such transformation, let alone two. The 255-pound Flexatron remains that almost-perfect bodybuilder who could win the O with another 1015 well-placed pounds. From the chest down, he has it allbold abs, slender hips, colossal quads and hamsbut his pecs, delts, and lats are still lagging by comparison. He also couldve been a bit drier this time. Rhoden turns 40 next year. Can he make the necessary gains to become Mr Olympia or are two transformations in one career one too many?

COMPETITOR NO. 4

COMPETITOR NO. 7Even at 44, the 2008 Mr Olympia winner remains one of the most consistent competitors of all time. In 67 pro contests over 16 years, Dexter Jackson has never finished in double digits. This year, he forwent earlier shows to focus only on the O. And here he is once again with all the usual Blade traits: cantaloupe biceps, perfectly aligned abs, chockablock pecs and traps. If he isnt as crisp as he was a decade ago, he made up for it by expanding his quads in recent years, somehow reversing the shrinking leg syndrome that afflicts most 40-something bodybuilders. This is his 15th Olympia, equalling Ronnie Colemans record.

CHRIS BA

ILEY

48 FLEX

2014 MR OLYMPIA

COMPETITOR NO. 13Mamdouh Elssbiay looks morphed. If others are as big as houses, hes a shopping centre. It seems impossible that he carries 285 lean pounds on a 5'9" frame without looking even a little blocky. His rear-lat spread and most muscular generate incredulous smiles even amongst the most jaded observers. Only his calves lag. Hes sharper this year than last. His quads perhaps the biggest of all timesport faint cross striations. Still, he needs more overall separation and detailing. If he can come in tight enough, he can be Mr Olympia, because he makes everyone who stands next to him shrink by comparison.

COMPETITOR NO. 13Mamdouh ElssbiayMamdouh Elssbiayothers are as big as houses, hes a shopping centre. It seems impossible that he carries 285 lean pounds on a 5'9" frame without looking even a little blocky. His rear-lat spread and most muscular generate incredulous smiles even amongst the most jaded observers. Only his calves lag. Hes sharper this year than last. His quadsperhaps the biggest of all timesport faint cross striations. Still, he needs more overall separation and detailing. If he can come in tight enough, he can be Mr Olympia, because he makes everyone who stands next to him shrink by comparison.

DENNIS WOLF

4

50 FLEX

If you could bet on bodybuilding in Las Vegas, Dennis Wolf would be easy to handicap. In over half of his nine Olympias, including this year, hes finished in places 4 or 5. Hes almost always on the verge of top-contender status but yet not quite there. That seemed to change when he finally climbed to third at last years Olympia and won this years Arnold Classic. Some predicted this O would be a Wolf/Heath clash. The truth is the 5'11" German hasnt made substantial gains in seven years. He was at his best in 2007, when he was fifth at the Olympia but shouldve been third. Hes not as full now as he was then. His arms have retreated. Still, he came in dry and grainy. And he remains one of the four or five best bodybuilders in the world.

COMPETITOR NO. 15

We could focus on Kai Greenes strengthshis barrel legs, his hang-glider lats, his spearhead biceps. Or we could focus on his weaknesseshis absent abs, his thickened middle, the scarcity of details and divots in his back shots. I prefer the look of Greenes 5'8" physique when he won the 2009 Arnold Classic weighing 253 pounds with a panoply of ab and lat lines. Like a heavy coat, much of the flesh hes accumulated since obscures more than it accentuates. As the 39-year-old New Yorker rolls through his poses, he generates the loudest cheers of prejudging. As always, his physique is an amazing work of abstract art, and he expertly displays all 280 pounds. Still, weve seen his attempt to overshadow Heath before. It didnt work. And here he is again, even bigger. Sometimes less is more.

COMPETITOR NO. 16

This is the worst Phil Heath has looked since 2010. Although he came in at a typical 245, he is a little smaller and a little smoother. His trademark rear double biceps lacks its showstopping 3-D density and HD details. His abs are blurry with some minor bloating. But, of course, were always measuring the Gift against his previous best at the 2011 Olympia, and thats a phenom-enal standard. Many consider it the best look of any Mr O. He cant be expected to top that at any contest, let alone every contest. And he cant cram much more flesh on his narrow frame without reaching the point of diminishing returns. The only question after he crunches his most muscular: did he do enough to once again fend off his archrival?

COMPETITOR NO. 17

DEXTER JACKSON

5

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52 FLEX

Between the last competitor hitting his mandatories alone and the top contenders battling in the first callout, groups organised in numerical order run through the mandatory poses together. This usually serves as a repose. But because No. 16 and No. 17 are side by side in the last of these groups, this is effectively the first callout, the start of the dual everyone has waited 12 months to seeHeath versus Greene again on the Orleans Arena stage.

Despite the simmering tension, they run through the four semi relaxed quarter-turns and the first five of eight mandatories without incident. But things heat up with the side triceps pose. When Heath turns one way and Greene the other, the latter flips his rope of braided hair and it brushes Heath. No. 17 laughs it off, but as they each simultaneously spike a calf, their heels touch. Its merely the inadvertent consequence of two men doing the same side pose in opposite directions, but here its fuel for the coming fire.

Before the final pose, No. 16 is crowding into No. 17s space. His elbow bumps Heaths, and he then jabs that elbow with his. Heath wont budge. Greene glowers. No. 17 tries to laugh it off, but, as with Joe Pesci in Goodfellas (Funny, how?), this only seems to ignite the fire. Threats are made. Smiles turn to scowls. Greene stands with his back to the audience jawing at Heath, mere inches away, and Heath gives it right back. The only logical escalation then is a punch. Head judge Steve Weinberger shouts into his microphone for No. 16 and No. 17 to Spread out! and expeditor Ropeman Felder moves Wolf between the top two bodybuilders in the world. The incident feels ominous, signifying that the 50th Mr Olympia may be remembered for the wrong reason.

But what of the actual compari-sons of No. 16 and No. 17? As always, the farther you are away from the stage, the more Greenes larger silhouette impresses. In fact, even more than in the past, this comes down to Heaths more pleasing shape versus Greenes more startling size. Each takes individual poses. Heath wins side triceps. Greene wins

2014 MR OLYMPIA

THE DUEL

front lat spread (a shot I had awarded to Heath in previous duels).

And as for the rear double biceps, the crucial pose that secured the Sandow for Heath in 2011, 2012, and 2013, this time its not so clear. Greene has better calves and broader thighs, but Heath has more ham and glute cuts. Greene has a much broader back, but Heath has larger delts, deeper

traps, and meatier forearms. Upper arms are too close to call. Its usually his back divots (coupled with his lower-body lines) that win this shot for Heath, but the ravines arent as deep this time. Heaths greatest advantage is in the middle: slimmer waistline, bolder spinal erectors, greater glute striations. But, unlike those three previous Olympias, this is not a game-over shot for the Gift.

BRANCH WARREN

6

53FLEX

On Saturday, the golden anniversary Olympia gets rolling with six of the 11 surviving winners taking the stage. Samir Bannout, Franco Columbu, Jay Cutler, Ronnie Coleman (hobbling valiantly after double-hip replacement), Lee Haney and Arnold Schwarzenegger speak about the importance of the contest and its creator, Joe Weider. Two more Mr Os, Jackson and Heath, are subsequently among the 17 competitors who perform their posing routines in front of gargantuan LED video screens playing transforming psyche-delic patterns. Rhoden flows slowly to R&B. After a lupine howl, Wolf prowls the stage to testosterone-fuelled classical. Greene, the greatest avant-garde poser in bodybuilding history, ends his routine with a throwback to Dirty Diana. (In friendlier times, Heath called Greenes 2007 Dirty Diana the best routine hed ever seen.) In turn, Heath ends his segment with a barrage of shots to U Dont Know.

The 17 competitors are brought out for callouts and judged once again. It starts with a four-man comparisonWolf, Heath, Greene, Rhodenand ends with two duels: Rhoden/Wolf and, the one everyone wants to see, Greene/Heath. Greene is slightly drier than the day before, but that has a second meaning here, as his torso is under-oiled. The clash is curiously sedate.

After the Figure Olympia and Olympia 212 Showdown awards, and before a video tribute to the 13 Mr Olympia champs and the inaugural Joe Weider Iron Award, the top 10 bodybuilders spill offstage during the posedown, striking poses amidst the sold-out Orleans Arena crowd of over 9,000. Its notable who isnt in that group. Last year, in the shape of his life, Roelly Winklaar finished seventh. This year, hes bigger but bloated, and he retreats to another double-digit finish.

THE 5oTH

2014 MR oLYMPIA

MAMDOUH ELSSBiAY

7

54 FLEX

The fact that Cutler doesnt compete and Winklaar isnt in contention clears space for others. Juan Morel, in his first O, and Steve Kuclo, in his second, each creep into the top 10. Victor Martinez proves that even at 41 hes still in the mix. Only one point separates Mamdouh Elssbiay from Branch Warren, as, four days after his 30th birthday, Big Ramy nearly makes up enough ground on Saturday for the six spot. Meanwhile, ageless Dexter Jackson lands in the top six for the 12th time, tying him with Shawn Ray for the most Olympia top sixes.

PLACES 5 to 8 PoSEDoWN

AWARDSWhile the awards for Wolf

and Rhoden are presented, Greene and Heath stand on stage talking. Well just say that we had a friendly exchange, Mr Olympia tells me afterwards, and it just comes down to the fact that he and I are trying to hype this sport up and it gets very, very intense. Theres gonna be moments where you have friction and frustration. People are gonna say things. But at the end of the day, I know what he wants. He wants what I got. And hes not going to quit. And I respect that.

2014 MR OLYMPIA

VICTOR MARTINEZ

8

56 FLEX

At that point, the fighting is done, Greene told me with a grin. So its like at the end of the fight when the boxers are standing there covered in sweat and theyre bleeding and theyre waiting for the decision. Thats not the time to punch someone in the face. Then what should surface is the quality and the character of the men. It doesnt mean that Im not going to knock him out in the future.

But not this time. As Heath becomes just the sixth man to win a fourth Sandowthis one gilded in 18-carat gold in honour of the Olympias golden anniversaryhe raises his arms and pumps his fist and flexes and doubles over. And as the confetti rains down along with cheers and boos, No. 16 and No. 17 embrace. The battle is over. There will be another.

2014 MR OLYMPIA

BACKSTAGEIn the chaos backstage afterwards, Shawn Rhoden is thrilled to have returned to the three spot, a position he occupied at the 2012 Olympia before losing it to Wolf last year. It feels awesome, he says. I thought I couldve placed a little higher, but itll be something to motivate me next year. When pressed on what he called the Phil Heath and Kai Greene show, he responds, I think the rivalry is good for the sport, but at present someone needs to go in there and shake things up a bit, and I feel as if Im going to do it.

In a makeshift dressing room near the pump-up pen, Kai Greene says, Im very thankful for the people who did cheer and celebrate. There was a lot of positive energy in the air. There were times when I could feel it. Its almost electric. And its really amazing to think that there are so many people who are celebrating this moment in my life. A lot of times people will celebrate your accomplishments, but the athlete has to realise that its always important to invest in himself even when the world says theres no reason to invest in you. Its wonderful when people support you, but

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58 FLEX

you have to support yourself with your actions, which are a product of your thinking.

The now four-time and still reigning Mr Olympia is seated beside Jay Cutler, also the owner of a quartet of Sandows. I tell him I didnt think he was at his best. Well, it wasnt necessary, obviously, he says of the fullness he lacked. I knew I could beat these guys on shape and conditioning. I can present different versions of myself and still win, and thats the key. If you look at any Mr Olympia multiple champion, they never looked the same way twice. And the problem I have now is Im always going to be compared with my previous self. So when you guys [in the press] see something, you go back to 2011 and say Why didnt you look like that? instead of really looking at what I did against my competition this time. Thats probably my biggest

challenge now. Sometimes people dont acknowledge that it was a tight battle and someone won by beating the competition. When it comes down to it, its as simple as that.

Hes right. We get jaded. We get impatient. We expect too much or we just want something different. All of us in the press pit and the audience and at home watching screens want to be wowed. Few in history have wowed us more than Phil Heath has over the past nine years. We cant expect him to establish a new standard every year, just as we cant expect to be shocked anew each time he locks in his rear double biceps. Its not about us and what we want to see. Its not the critic who counts. Its the man in the arena. Victory is achieved by beating the competition. Thats how Phil Heath won again. And it is indeed as simple as that. FLEX

2014 MR OLYMPIA

JUAN MOREL

10Thats probably my biggest simple as that.

60 FLEX

2014 MR OLYMPIA

Johnnie JAckson11

RoeLLY WinkLAAR12

FReD sMALLs13

Jon DeLARosA14

WiLLiAM BonAc15

CHRIS BA

ILEY

JoJo ntiFoRo16

iBRAhiM sAMi16

01782 28122201782 281222 Proper nutrition and regular training are essential to achieving your fi tness and bodybuilding goals. Facebook logo is owned by Facebook

Inc. All trademarks are owned by their respective trademark owners. Carefully read the entire label before use and follow directions. 2014

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BACKSTAGE AT THE OLYMPIA

OLYMPIA ALL-ACCESS

Sept. 1920, Orleans Arena

FLEX brings you up-close and personal as only we can with all-access coverage of the 50th Olympia. These photos capture the camaraderie, the tension, the passion, and the joy of the Olympia Weekend.

(far left) Shawn Rhoden flexes, (left) Mamdouh Elssbiay pumps up, (above) Arnold Schwarzenegger with Betty Weider, (right) the four-time champ revels in his victory.

Kai Greene makes his

point to Sami Al Haddad.

photographs by CHARLESLOWTHIAN.COM

62 FLEX

63FLEX

BACKSTAGE AT THE OLYMPIA Sept. 1920, Orleans Arena

(top left) Flex Lewis flexes, (top right) Juan Morel curls, (centre) Triple H, (centre right) Eduardo Correa, (left) Kai squares up to Big Ramy. Ch

arlE

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64 FLEX

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SCENE AT THE ATHLETES MEETING Sept. 17, Orleans ArenaSCENE AT THE PRESS CONFERENCESept. 18, Orleans Hotel

(from top to centre), Victor Martinez greets the crowd, Mamdouh Elssbiay make a point, emcee Bob Cicherillo delivers a joke.

(above) Greene and Heath crank up the tension.

Olympia rookies William Bonac and Jojo Ntiforo share the joy of making it to the ultimate contest.

(left) still-bearded Phil Heath (below, top to bottom), Dennis Wolf, Shawn Rhoden, Juan Morel, and Kai Greene.

66 FLEX

Bill

CO

mst

OCk

; tru

Ck :

East

laBs

.sk/

East

laBs

.ru

SCENE AT THE EXPO Sept. 1920, Las Vegas Convention Centre

(top) U.S. FLEX Bikini Search contestants, (above) IFBB President Rafael Santonja; (right) Dennis James and daughter Anna, (below right), 10-time Ms Olympia Iris Kyle and 212 competitor Hidetada Yamagishi, (bottom) a mobile Olympia billboard. FLEX

(above) Amanda Latona displays her assets, (below) eight-time Mr Olympia Ronnie Coleman flexes.

67FLEX

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70 FLEX

ROMANS EMPIRE

East

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.ru

by MIchAEl BERgphotographs by JOSEf Adlt

After a perfect-score victory at the Amateur Olympia Europe

last June, German giant Roman Fritz

is seeking new worlds to conquer. Heres the tale of his steady

march into the IFBB pro ranks.

71FLEX

Apples. Not the answer youd expect when asking a bodybuilder the secret to his early training success. But then again, youre likely in for a lot of interesting surprises when talking to newly minted IFBB pro Roman Fritz.

Winner of the Amateur Olympia Europe 2014, the 26-year-old German wasnt always the 5'11", 238-pound shredded dominator that appears onstage today. At the age of 15, he was actually a bit emaciated, truth be tolda 121-pounder constantly fending off questions about whether he suffered from some sort of disease. Then he discovered apples. And training. And a dog-eared copy of FLEX with Kevin Levrone on the cover, and a bold new course was set.

Fritz reveals his journey from thin teen to what may just be the next big thing in the professional bodybuilding ranks. Here, he talks about everything from his early days in the gym to his burgeoning competitive success to the training and nutrition plan he used for his pro-card-securing victory in Prague. As for those apples? Youll have to read on to see the role they played in his unique fitness journey.

Born 1988Birthplace & Current Residence Munich, GermanyHeight 5'11" Weight 238 pounds contest, 255 off-seasonContest History 2009 World Amateur Championships, Junior class heavyweight and overall winner; 2013 Arnold Amateur, 3rd, super-heavyweight class; 2013 German Championships, super-heavyweight and overall winner; 2014 Amateur Olympia Europe, heavyweight and overall winner (earned pro card).Sponsors Weider/AMI, Animal (animalpak.com)Web Twitter @r_xxl Instagram @romanfritzFacebook Roman Fritz (official)

REX FRITZ ROMAN

FLEX: Can you tell us a little about growing up in Germany?Roman Fritz: I was an only childwe had the whole family living under one roof in a big three-story house. My grand father, who has since passed away, sadly, along with my grandmother, owned a successful metalworking company. My mother is a full-time bookkeeper.

And your father?The man who contributed half of my DNA has never been able to stay in one job for a long period of time, and basically lived off my mother and my grandparents. I dont know what

hes doing right now. He left us when I was around 12 or 13 years old for another woman who also had a son. Luckily, my parents had never been married.

What impact did that have?After my father left, I became something of a problem child. At one point my mum felt like she couldnt handle me any more, so she decided to put me into a boarding school.

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The guy was huge! Covered

and veins buT sTill

in musCle, striations,

superlean...that was exaCtly what i wanted my body to look like.

Is that where you found bodybuilding, or did that come later?The facility did not offer any type of sports or activities for the students. Out of boredom I started shooting hoops in the schools gym and went running around a nearby lake. At that time I had actually been a little chubby, and I figured that if I was going to be stuck there anyway, I might at least spend my time after school getting rid of my belly.

I simply stopped eating all foods except apples, played basketball, and ran around the lake like a maniac for hours, all by myself. I went from almost 200 pounds at 511 to a very skinny 121 pounds.

I liked the new lean and shredded version of myself a lot more than the chubby guy I used to be. But my appearance still wasnt what I wanted. Especially because of the feedback I got from the people around me. My mum, the kids at school, and everybody who saw me totally freaked out. Damn! You look sick. Go and eat something already. Thats what prompted me to first take a glance at the school gyms weights room.

That probably wasnt the greatest of facilities, was it?The room was about 10-by-18 feet, damp, with water leaking

through the ceiling. It was dirty, and the paint was peeling off the wall. All the weights were covered in rust, some of them so bad that you couldnt even pick them up because the rust had glued them to the floor. The equipment was as basic as it could geta power rack, two benches, a pulley machine that was broken, a couple of barbells, and a set of adjustable dumbbells.

The only guys in school whod ever go train in there were two exchange students from Hungary. Pretty thick dudes, but I was scared of talking to them because they were older. Me being the skinny little guy, I considered myself lucky enough that they would even allow me to enter the room with them.

One day one of them left a

copy of FLEX magazine in the room. It had Kevin Levrone on the cover. That was the moment that changed my life. I had never seen anything like it before. The guy was huge! Covered in muscle, striations, and veins but still superlean without an ounce of fat on his body. That was exactly what I wanted my body to look like, and from that exact moment on I decided I was going to become a professional bodybuilder.

How old were you at that point?About 15.

Youve said in previous interviews that you had a cousin who helped you at the beginning.His names Christian Biller. He

also lives in Munich and works, besides his real job with the government, as a personal trainer. One weekend when I was home from school, he took me to his gym. From then on I went there every weekend, soaking up everything he taught me about proper techniques, protein, carbs, fats, and supplements.

I put together my own diet of six meals. Basic stuff like oats, rice cakes, fruit, eggs, chicken, and lowfat dairy. I also started using a 70% whey/30% casein protein powder, a multivitamin, and creatine. I ordered the book Joe Weiders Bodybuilding System from an ad in FLEX and followed an upper-body/lower-body training split that I found in there. I cut back to four weekly workouts with each muscle being trained twice a week. Within the first nine

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These workouts were lifted out of Fritzs training log. Most of the time I do each workout twice a week and force myself to take the seventh day off from weights, he explains. But if Im feeling recuperated and good, I might go for a couple of weeks without taking a rest day. Each of the working sets listed here (warm-up sets are not included in this tally) are taken to complete muscle failure. Cardio is done for 30 minutes in the morning on an empty stomach; at seven weeks out from the Amateur Olympia, Fritz started adding an extra 20 minutes of cardio after his Day 1 and Day 2 p.m. workouts.

DAY 1

EXERCISE SETS REPS

A.M.: Chest and back

Incline Dumbbell Press 10 612

Incline Machine Press 5 20*

Dumbbell Pullover 5 12*

Cable Crossover 5 12

Behind-the-Neck Pulldown 5 12

Plus: One abdominal exercise and posing practice.

P.M.: Traps and shoulders

Wide-grip Pulldown 5 20*

Dumbbell Shrug 5 612

Smith Machine Shrug 3 12*

Standing Military Press 5 612

Machine Shoulder Press 3 20*

Machine Lateral Raise 3 10

Bentover Rear Delt Cable Raise 3 12*

Bentover Dumbbell Raise 3 12

* For these exercises, Fritz uses the rest-pause technique, choosing a weight that causes him to fail before the listed rep target is reachedhell rest as many times as it takes to reach the listed reps.

Hell rest 45 seconds max between each set of machine laterals.

DAY 2

EXERCISE SETS REPS

A.M.: Back and abs

Wide-grip Pulldown

5 20*

Dumbbell Pullover

5 12

One-arm Dumbbell Row

5 68

Bentover Barbell Row

5 610

Supported T-bar Row

5 20*

Plus: One ab exercise.

* Fritz uses the rest-pause technique to complete these sets.

Fritz employs dropsets to reach 12 total reps per set.

P.M.: Arms

Rope Pushdown 5 12*

Standing Cable Curl

5 15*

Alternating Dumbbell Curl

5 6

One-arm Preacher Curl

5 68^

Dip 5 12

Overhead Rope Extension

5 12#

Close-grip Push-up

1 20

Plus: Two forearm exercises and one set of abs.

* Fritz supersets the last set of each exercise with the first set of the fol-lowing one. The last set is a strip set.

Fritz goes heavy and uses some cheating to complete these reps.

^ Fritz will eke out forced reps at the end, using his non-working arm to assist, and doesnt rest between sets.

# A partner will help with forced reps at the end when Fritz reaches initial failure.

DAY 3

EXERCISE SETS REPS

A.M.: Calves and hamstrings

Standing Calf Raise 3 12*

Seated Calf Raise 1 20*^

Donkey Calf Raise 3 12*

Tibilais Raise superset with Standing Calf Raise (body weight)

3 20

Lying Leg Curl 10 13*

Deadlifts 5 4-6

Single-leg Curl 3 12#

Glute-ham Raise 2 12^

* Fritz uses rest-pause to complete these sets.

After the last rep, Fritz employs Doggcrapp-style hamstring stretches, holding a stretch on the machine against resistance.

# Fritz will cheat (within reason) to assist with the completion of these reps.

^ The last few reps may be forced reps with the help of a partner.

P.M.: Hamstrings and quadriceps

Lying Leg Curl superset with Adductor Machine

5 1215

Hack Squat 5 12*

Barbell Squat 10 36

Sissy Squat 5 12

Leg Extension 3 20#

* These sets are completed with rest-pause.

Fritz uses 315 pounds for each working set.

# Fritz will cheat (within reason) to assist with the completion of these reps.

FRITZs 2014 TRAINING PROGRAMMe

the listed reps.

Hell rest 45 seconds max between each set of machine laterals.

One-arm Preacher Curl

Dip

Overhead Rope Extension

Close-grip Push-up

Plus: Two forearm exercises and one set of abs.

* Fritz supersets the last set of each exercise with the first set of the following one. The last set is a strip set.

Fritz goes heavy and uses some cheating to complete these reps.

^ Fritz will eke out forced reps at the end, using his non-working arm to assist, and doesnt rest between sets.

# A partner will help with forced reps at the end when Fritz reaches initial failure.

Note: On leg day, in both the morning and afternoon session, Fritz supersets the last set of each exercise with the first set of the following one. He also finishes each leg workout with a stretching regime.

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This is a snapshot of a typical day in Fritzs lead-up to his 2014 Amateur Olympia triumph

MEAL 1700 g (21) egg whites100 g buckwheat flakes (80 g carbs)

TRAINING SESSION (A.M.)

MEAL 2700 g (21) egg whites100 g rice cakes

MEAL 3340 g white fish100 g rice cakesVegetables

MEAL 4330 g turkey breast100 g rice cakes

TRAINING SESSION (P.M.)

MEAL 5700 g (21) egg whites100 g rice cakes

MEAL 6330 g turkey breast100 g rice cakesVegetables

MEAL 7340 g white fish100 g rice cakes

NOTEFritz drinks at least eleven litres of water per day.

Pre-Contest Diet

FritZs

weeks on this programme I gained around 23 pounds. What prompted you to enter the Bavarian Championships in 2006? After 2 years of training, I was up to a pretty bloated 231 pounds. After having seen the 2005 Bavarian Championships, I had an idea of what Id be up against and figured I was ready. I started dieting 12 weeks out and came down to around 200 pounds. I won the contest with perfect scores and went on to the German Nationals two weeks later. I took fifth in a class of 13 competitors. I was very happy with both placings, since I had turned 18 only a month before, which made me the youngest contestant in each of the two contests.

With that early competitive success, what was next?I took some time off from competing because I promised my mother Id finish school. In 2008, I went back to the Bavarians and later the Nationals and won the overall under-21 junior division at both with perfect scores at a body weight of only 189 pounds.

The following year I decided to take it to the next level by entering the 2009 IFBB World Champion-ships in Poland. The weeks before that show, as a warm-up, I entered the Bavarian Championships for the third time, and, of course, I also had to qualify for the IFBB Worlds at the German Team Universe. I won the overall junior division at all three.

After competing all this time in the junior division, 2010 was going to be my debut in the mens open division. As the youngest competitor ever, I won both the Bavarian and Southern German Championships and went on to take second in heavyweights at the Nationals.

A knee injury kept me from competing again until the 2013 Arnold Classic Amateur. There, I placed a very disappointing third after losing 20 pounds two days

out due to a terrible food poisoning. I really wish I could wipe my Arnold experience from my memory. For some time after, I was thinking about quitting competitive body-building.

Thankfully, you didnt do that. How did you shake that?I made up my mind and got my inner fire burning again. Two months after the Arnold, I jumped into the 2013 German Nationals, where I took the super-heavy-

weight and overall title, once again with perfect scores.

At first I thought I had qualified for pro status by winning this titlebut that wasnt the case. The IFBB instated a rule change that said that European athletes

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If Im goIng to pIck up a weIght,

I wont let go untIl my body

gIves out. everythIng else

Is just a waste of tIme and energy.

can apply for a pro card only if they win an overall title in either the Arnold Amateur, Amateur Mr Olympia, World Championships, or European Championships. This meant that I had to go back and compete one last time as an amateur. I picked the Amateur Mr O in Prague, Czech Republic, held in June 2014. I said to myself that this time was either make or break.

I started prepping for what was going to be my final attempt at becoming an IFBB pro 25 weeks out. I made it and now Im where I envisioned myself ever since I first looked at Kevin Levrones FLEX cover shot 10 years ago.

What are you focusing on before your pro debut?Since I dont really have any major weak points, Im just looking to gain overall size while keeping my waist in check.

How do you split?Two workouts per day, thats how Ive trained for most of my career.

As far as your overall workout philosophy, do you train to muscle failure each set?

Oh, yeah! I dont believe in pump workouts or pump sets. If Im going to pick up a weight, I wont let go until my body gives out. Everything else is just a waste of time and energy. In my opinion, you have to show your body that its too weak in order to persuade it to adapt and grow.

Is there anything in your workouts that isnt typical but that you discovered works for you through trial and error? Normally Im a very high-volume trainer. This works for all of my body parts except calves. I had very weak calves during my first few years in the gym, although I

pounded them day after day with set after set. It was very frustrating. A former IFBB pro gave me the tip of trying a totally different approach for calves. Along the lines of Dorian Yates high-intensity training, he told me to do only one single set each of standing and seated calf raises, while using a very heavy weight that would allow for only 12 reps at the most. Following this routine, my calves started growing overnight, so fast that I got stretch marks in the area of my gastrocnemius muscle. Ive been doing this ever since.

Are there specific intensity techniques you use a lot?

My favourites are rest-pause sets. I set a goal number of reps, 12 for example, but I intentionally pick a weight that will make me fail before I get to that number. When this happens, I rack the weight, take 10 deep breaths, and then complete the set. The heavier the weight or the higher you set your rep goal, the tougher you can make those sets. If the goal is 20 reps, I might have to take up to four or five breaks in order to complete the set. Its very painful.

Do you have a job outside of bodybuilding?I work as a personal trainer and also have a lot of online clients. I studied health-care management and got a bachelors degree. Im also a licensed fitness trainer here in Germany, which, unlike in many other countries, is an officially recognised certification by the German government.The funny thing here is that I actually seem to work better with females than with men. For some reason women almost never complain about the diet or training programmes that I give them. Men are a lot more whiny. FLEX

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WHEN THEORY MEETS PRACTICE

A re you a narcissist? If you are not, you should be. Maybe not to the extreme, but if you dont strive for perfection and keep a watchful eye over your progress, youll never achieve the pinnacle of success as measured by your inner self. Whoa, sound deep? Perhaps. But no matter how you cut it, its our egotistical need for dominance that fuels our weights room efforts. Its fine to be huge and freaky but unacceptable to be small and geeky. Whether its strength or size driven, the desire to be big, lean, and perfectly balanced across all body parts is part of our character. The complete package is something we continually chase.

The most important thing you can do is acknowledge that you care how you look and that you will never be happy no matter how perfect you are. The term alpha male is merely scratching the surface of your need to impress everyone, even though most people really dont careits simply your belief that they do.

The hierarchy of needs suggested by Abraham Maslow some 70 years ago may actually help us understand why we are so driven to succeed. But what does a 1940s theory have to do with training? For starters, Maslow defined five levels of social need, starting with base physiological need, and progressing up through safety, belonging, esteem, and finish-ing at the top with self-actualisation. Each level of the pyramid relies on the base built before it and takes a basic requirement, adds to it to include greater boundaries and obstacles, and then refines it before it reaches the pinnacle. Perhaps training for the perfect physique follows a similar path on your way to dialling in the complete package. There are some basic requirements. There are some basic needs. You have to build layer upon layer to reach the size and shape you want. And then you have to refine all of your hard work to reach the peak.

by DaviD SanDler

Applying hierarchy theory to build the complete package

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While I aint Maslow, and I certainly didnt invent the idea of training for size and shape, I do know that there is a process that everyone must follow in order to reach the perfect package. Depending on where you are on your quest, you may need to start at the bottom or somewhere in between. Regardless, if you are higher up the pyramid, its likely you started at the bottom some time ago. However, even those who are well-established with their look need to pay attention, unless you are as big and ripped as you ever want to be. Chances are you want to get bigger, and chances are that you want to get leaner. If you start in the middle on your quest for size, you will fail. If you try to lean out, and dont have solid muscle underneath, you will fail. And, thus, the pyramid of perfection has merit.

PyraMId of PerfectIon: the art and ScIence of dIallIng It In

DIALLED IN

REFINE BODY PARTS

DIET & NUTRITION

SIZE & SHAPE DEVELOPMENT

STRENgTH & MASS BUILDINg

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Size & Shape

Consider this the equivalent to Maslows basic physiological need. Without it, your body has nothing from which to build. Build some solid muscle first. Im sure that statement is no surprise. But it amazes me how many guys simply try to build size, without building the foundation. Muscle continues to rebuild and layer itself with training. Just as with building a house you start from the bottom up, you need to hit the weights with big lifts like bench press, squat, and some heavy-duty rows, and incorporate some big mass-building moves like shoulder presses, bentover rows, and leg presses. Then work your way out towards the smaller muscles. Check your strength along the way to ensure you are continually getting stronger, as strength is the foundation of building sizethe stronger you are, the more weight you can lift. And the more total weight you can move in a single workout, the faster you get to your

Documents

Flex UK - February 2015