I have been remiss. There should have been a poll for Best Article of 2013. We still have time, though.
Go to http://www.rxmuscle.com/articles.html and select your favorite article.
Here are some examples:
The Law of Opportunity
By Corey Young aka JayBezel
If we were to look at the top athletes in the sport and single out a reason for why particular individuals have been able to outperform the rest of the field I believe that the general consensus would be genetics. We would conclude that the athletes at the head of the class happened to be blessed with the right set of parents that allowed them to hit the genetic lottery – that they are genetic outliers.
To a certain degree, I also believe that’s true. Bodybuilding is no different than any other sport; there is an obvious genetic component that separates the professional or the top level amateur from the rest of us. However, if we agree that genetics separate the elite from the rest of us, what separates the elite from each other? In a world dominated by the genetic elite, what are the underlying factors that determine success and failure?
Let’s take a look at Jay Cutler, a 4x Mr. Olympia winner, 3x Arnold Classic Champion, and an athlete who most would agree has been blessed with a tremendous amount of genetic gifts. At the 1993 NPC Teen Nationals a very raw nineteen year old Jay Cutler famously took second overall behind Branch Warren in an incredibly talented lineup that included four future pros other than Jay and Branch.
Jay’s tremendous success is in part due to his tireless work ethic, a quality that he has become synonymous with throughout the course of his career. But perhaps the most important component to Jay’s success was the day he met a fellow Massachusetts resident and future bodybuilding guru – Chris Aceto.
By the time Jay and Chris first met; Chris was already a well established industry presence who knew what it took to develop a championship physique. For Jay, having the opportunity to have one of the preeminent minds in bodybuilding with a proven track record of being able to develop world class physiques at his disposal in his formative years was an unbelievable advantage that other athletes, even those with an equal amount of genetic potential, quite simply didn’t have.
It wasn’t just genetics that turned Jay Cutler into a bodybuilding legend, it was genetics coupled with a tremendous work ethic and a once in a lifetime opportunity to have world class guidance when he needed it most.
No conversation about genetics, or superior genetic potential, is complete without mentioning the greatest bodybuilder to ever walk the planet, Ronnie Colemanmichael-jordan (3). Ronnie was given an unbelievable set of genetic gifts that was so superior, it’s reasonable to assume that there will never be another athlete capable of matching his mind blowing, caricature-esque level of crazy muscularity. But despite all of the mythical greatness that is Ronnie Coleman, if it wasn’t for Metroflex owner Brian Dobson, the bodybuilding landscape as it exists today would be totally different.
Brian’s ability to lure Ronnie to Metroflex under the guise of a free membership may be the single most important event in our generation of the sport. If Ronnie had never met Brian, and Brian never gets the opportunity to nurture and guide a future 8x Mr. Olympia, imagine how much differently we would view the careers of Flex Wheeler, Kevin Levrone, Shawn Ray, and even Jay Cutler had they not run into the unstoppable force that was Ronnie Coleman.
Even for the most superior set of muscle building genetics to ever walk the planet, if it wasn’t for a chance encounter under the right set of circumstances the opportunity to cultivate a generational talent would’ve never existed.
The rule of opportunity doesn’t just apply to athletes. We don’t have to look very far to see where having extraordinary opportunity can pave the way for future industry success. Before RxMuscle, and before Species, even before Muscular Development, Dave Palumbo was regarded as one of the greatest minds in the bodybuilding industry. Like Jay and Ronnie, Dave’s success has been in large part due to a unique sequence of opportunities that allowed him to develop an uncommon blend of in the trenches broscience logic that’s supported by years of formal medical school training. However, it isn’t time spent in the gym, or time spent in the classroom memorizing an endless sea of facts that turned Dave’s situation from unique to extraordinary, it was his relationship with Met-Rx founder Dr. Scott Connelly.
Just as opportunity brought Jay Cutler to Chris Aceto during a critical time when his physique was essentially a blank canvas ready to be transformed; opportunity brought Dr. Connelly to Dave as his mind was beginning to bridge the gap between formal education and practical real world application.
Imagine the advantage that any student would have if they were able to study under one of the world’s foremost experts in their field during a time when they were most in need of teaching. What greater advantage to developing nutritional expertise could a person get than having direct access to the mind that is responsible for developing the product that literally changed the world of nutritional supplements?
Those specific set of circumstances, combining Dave’s unique background with Dr. Connelly’s world class expertise, provided an opportunity to develop an affluent knowledge that quite simply was not available to anyone else.
We have a tendency to view people that have achieved the pinnacle of success as having extraordinary genetic advantages that the rest of us just do not have, and in most cases that’s true. However, if we closely examine those that we view as genetic outliers we see that it’s opportunity that truly sets them apart. If we step outside the world of bodybuilding we’re able to see the same common thread woven throughout the elite.
Michael Jordan was coached by Dean Smith and Phil Jackson, two of the most successful coaches of all time. Joe Montana was coached by Bill Walsh, the man responsible for revolutionizing the way offense was played in the NFL. Bill Gates just so happened to attend a high school that had a computer lab in the 1970’s during a time when most colleges had yet to have such technology.
Extraordinary minds and extraordinary genetic talent are required to achieve levels of greatness that we can only marvel at in astonishment, but that isn’t enough in itself to develop generational talent. It also requires a very specific set of circumstances, and a series of very extraordinary opportunities to separate the could-be-greats from those who go on to become legends.
Another Round With Alcohol & Muscle, V 2.0!
By Anders J Eskilsson
I’m squeezing myself through people to reach the crowded bar. Meanwhile really loud house music is blasting in the background and multi-colored spotlights are flashing all over the place.
Finally I have reached my goal. The bartender greets me with, “Hi! What can I help you with?” “One Long Island Iced Tea, please,” I reply. "Sure! No problem, coming up!" I think better of my order, “No, no, wait. Make it a shot of Jägermeister, also. No, no make it three!”
After some drinks, shots, late hours at the club without any food at all – just alcohol – you finally get a cab and manage to get home to your dark apartment. Stumbling on heavy feet, you finally lie down on the bed and fall asleep almost immediately.
The alarm clock screams: Bzzz! Bzzz! Bzzz! In response you perform the pillow over the head pose while you realize you’re enjoying a hangover... again!
It feels like a train is rushing through your head every 10th second. "Oh, I have to…" You find yourself running to the bathroom, puking up booze mixed with whey protein. Looking down at the toilet bowl and suddenly getting flashbacks from yesterday’s spotlight colors –the difference is that it now comes from your stomach and not the club.images
Well, back in bed again trying to sleep but you’re half-awake with nausea and dizziness. It’s ten hours until you manage to move your ass out of bed. On wobbly feet, you make it to the kitchen and finally get your 30 grams of protein from a whey shake, vitamins and minerals plus fish oil to reach some kind of balance again.
Some have been here before in either heavier or lighter versions – and, unfortunately, some will be here again.
Maybe for the 114th time you ask yourself – was it worth it?
Over the years, I have read questions concerning alcohol and training numerous times. How does alcohol affect my training? How much can I drink without my training suffering? Are hangovers bad for my training results? Well, we have many different answers to these questions.
This article will examine the psychological and disciplinary questions and some of the physical effects of consuming alcohol. It is mainly written for those aiming to compete in bodybuilding, started training a short while ago, and/or for those seeking muscle perfection.
Psychology & Discipline
Some say, “Well, 2 to 3 beers are not a problem when you are working out every week,” and I’ll bet they’re right, but not everyone can drink just a few beers and then go home. Bodybuilders are eccentric personalities; "All or Nothing” people. This is why drinking alcohol can be a problem, especially in the long run.
There are reasons why the NFL, NBA and NHL write alcohol and tobacco prohibit contracts with many players. They want their team members to reach their potential and be the best they can be. Of course, there’s big money involved, and no one can deny that it’s working. The players are making better results partly due to these contracts.
In others sports like MMA, you can wonder where fighters like UFC welterweight world champion Georges St. Pierre or heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez would be if they drank and partied hard during preparation for upcoming fights.
In my opinion, there is no difference when it comes to a competitive bodybuilder when he or she wants to compete or decides to chase a physical goal.
Everyone needs to let loose sometimes. Don’t get me wrong here, I do agree that partying is part of life, but when it comes to achieving goals it can destroy the mindset of bodybuilding. I know that you can use this discipline in other parts or phases or sections of life, like in work or study.
Choosing the mindset before alcohol will build both self esteem and discipline that can follow you the rest of your life. Bodybuilding is a lifestyle and a lifestyle that is adaptable to other areas of life. Some people use the discipline learnt from all the years in the gym and later on convert this mindset into successful entrepreneurship.
Backyards of Bodybuilding
Many knowledgeable people of bodybuilding have said Chris Cormier is an example of how partying can hurt someone’s career and that’s the reason he didn’t reach further into the top ranking of the IFBB. Chris Cormier was very gifted genetically but he didn’t have what 6-time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates had, the warrior mentality, preparing for war each time he prepared to compete on a pro stage.
Another well-known name in the industry is the former top bodybuilder Craig Titus. If he would have played his cards right while he was competing he could possibly have been a top contender for the title of Mr. Olympia. He really had that potential and a quasi-looking physique of a Jay Cutler.
Instead, Titus chose the ultimate crazy lifestyle including heavy abuse of recreational drugs. I would not be surprised if he would have been diagnosed clinically as a psychopath. Diagnosed or not, Titus let his potential get lost to the backstreets of bodybuilding. In the end of his eccentric lifestyle Titus and his wife Kelly Ryan were charged with the murder of their assistant, Melissa James, in 2005. Titus is currently serving 21 to 55 years in prison while Kelly was sentenced to two consecutive terms of 6-17 years in prison.
Medical issues
The last thing you need when you’re on the juice is extra strain to your kidneys and liver. This is also a good reason to stay away from all alcohol. And there’s the money issue! A good cycle can be really expensive and needs your full focus and determination. One other thing to be concerned with is all the unnecessary calories that come from both beers and liquor.
Another important issue to consider is the following study that has scientifically proved that consuming alcohol and suffering from hangovers has shown to decrease natural levels of testosterone! According to: Ylikahri, M. Huttunen, M. Härkönen, U. Seuderling, S. Onikki, S.-L. Karonen, H. Adlercreutz “Low plasma testosterone values in men during hangover” Journal of Steroid Biochemistry, Volume 5, Issue 7, (November 1974), Pages 655-658
Final Words
I can assure you that you will never achieve your peak potential if you party harder than you train. Instead of becoming one of the Jersey Shore candidates, stay true to your goals. You simply can’t have your cake and it, too.
So, instead try to learn from those hangovers. Consider your alcohol consumption while planning to achieve your goals. The next time a bartender asks, “What can I get for you?” think about all the hours in the gym, all the money spent on food and supplements partially washed away.
Was it really worth it?
A Farewell to 'The Giant'
By Christian Duque
On November 25, 2013, the sport of bodybuilding lost a great hero in IFBB Pro Greg Kovacs, who passed as a result of a heart attack. As with Nasser, I'm grateful that the rabid mainstream media hasn't taken hold of this tragedy to rally against the sport, especially because they'll do so without a scintilla of evidence most of the time.
Greg Kovacs was a special bodybuilder that arrived at a unique time in the industry. I found out about his passing two days after it happened and I immediately approached the Boss, Dave Palumbo about putting my thoughts down in an article. I mean, let's face it, bodybuilding eulogies are pretty lame and in article-form even more so. I've seen articles that basically outline an athlete's contest record and then just write around that. That's basically Wikipedia with some added fluff. We don't do that here, not at RxMuscle.com.
When I first came across 'The Giant,' (a fitting nickname, even if posthumously given) I was floored, for a few reasons. For starters, he was a very tall guy and tall mass monsters are in short supply – both in his era as well as today. Second, he was Canadian. Now for the record, I'm American, but who here doesn't root for the underdog? Although Canada is larger than the United States, its competitors don't get four shows where they can turn pro – they get one. I think for a lot of top-ranked Canadian amateurs to turn Pro is huge milestone, and Greg did just that. Third, he was working his tail off for a company I'd vaguely heard about.
That's right folks, before Phil Heath, before Jay Cutler, before Branch and Johnny, before all those guys, there was a virtually unknown company selling products that ended with Tech and this giant phenom promoting them wherever he went, on whatever publication he appeared on, and especially on his stellar DVD! MuscleTech got huge with Greg’s assistance and then dropped him. Shocking order of events, eh?
He always looked so happy, like he loved what he was doing, and from some of the exclusive quotes we have here today, those hunches have been validated. For now I will let you read the words of Greg's friends. I think it's important that we pay real homage to a real hero. Unfortunately, many of the people I contacted were unable to respond due to contractual restrictions, but I hope they sound off from their respective sites/publications.
Guest Comments
“Greg Kovacs' brute strength and massive physique was only rivaled byGreg3 his enormous heart. It's sad that it was this heart, in the end, that was broken beyond repair. His passion and love for the sport together with his unrivaled muscle mass will be a beacon for future bodybuilders to aspire to… to accept that there are virtually no boundaries that the human body can't surpass.”
– Dave Palumbo, President RxMuscle.com, Species Nutrition
“I had only met Greg a few times. The first time that I met him was in Toronto at the gym. He was huge and equally just as strong. I found out that he was laid back and an easygoing guy. He'll be missed. Rest in peace.”
– IFBB Pro John Simmons, Michigan NPC Co-Chair
“Greg was a very nice guy. He will be missed by his friends, and without a doubt his family and all of us muscleheads. RIP!”
– IFBB Pro Ron Love
“I met Greg Kovacs back in 2002. My memories of Greg always involve a smile and food. He was the biggest bodybuilder at the time with an off-season weight in the 400s. He was so big that even some of the simplest of tasks were a challenge… like tying his shoes. He was too young to leave us so soon! I am going to miss his ability to make people laugh and love for the sport of bodybuilding. Greg will be missed.”
– IFBB Pro Colette Nelson
"I just recently heard of the death of Bodybuilder Greg Kovacs, it is another loss of a Champion and my thoughts and prayers go out to his family and loved ones. When Greg came on the scene he set a new precedence for size in bodybuilding and he certainly pushed his competitors to new levels. His persistence and media exposure were second to none. I got the privilege to meet and talk to Greg on only a few occasions but he was a good hearted guy and spoke well of everyone. Rest his Soul!"
-IFBB Pro Jason Arntz
"I've met Greg in Ohio (during the Arnold Classic), accidentally as his wife asked me in the Gym if I would be so kind and spot her husband doing incline barbell presses.
I said sure and turned around just to see absolutely monstrous guy getting ready to bench 585 lbs!?! That was my introduction to greg Kovacs...his strength was just out of this world. Years later, after he won his pro card he contacted me to find out about some specific protocols I was teaching other pros, and I gladly helped him for what he was always very grateful for. I am extremely saddened to hear about his premature death. My sincere condolences to his family and friends."
- IFBB Pro Milos Sarcev
“I remember the first time I met Greg it was the early part of 1995 at the Niagara Falls Pro. I was working a booth and hadn't turned pro yet, but Greg thought I was the biggest thing. But I said, ‘Dude you think I'm big? Look at you, you're a giant.’ This before anyone really knew who he was. He hadn't really gotten out there yet. So we exchanged numbers and he use to call me for tips. Then not long after that he made it big. He was a good guy!”
– IFBB Pro Don LongGreg11
“Greg was a gentle giant and one of the nicest guys I ever met in the industry. Always polite with a true love for ‘real’ bodybuilding. I met Greg in North Carolina for a guest posing appearance. The promoters had me scheduled to pose right before the overall presentation and the show had already gone past midnight. Well, as I was backstage waiting to go on, I fell asleep. The next thing I remember is being woken up by a 340-pound monster laughing his ass off telling me I'm going on stage in one minute. Here I am taking off my clothes, still half asleep while Greg is smacking oil on me. Even though I never got a chance to pump up I still went out and brought the house down trying to keep a straight face as Greg kept laughing through the whole routine. Bodybuilding lost another one of the good guys. Rest In Peace, brother.”
– IFBB Pro King Kamali
I hope Greg's friends and family see this, and take comfort in knowing that their friend or relative really did something with his life, that he'll be remembered and celebrated in the sport of bodybuilding.
The 2013 NPC Nationals: Stuff You Did Not Know!
By Steve Wennerstrom, IFBB Women's Historian
In the past few years the annual NPC Nationals has become a rampaging juggernaut when it comes to the number of entries in this most prestigious of amateur events in the United States. Most recently anywhere from 800 to 1,000 contestants have made the trip to this event in the hopes of becoming one of the sport’s next big stars. This year was no different as a total of 853 competitors (386 men and 467 women) made the trip to Ft. Lauderdale to compete in men’s and women’s bodybuilding, men’s and women’s physique, and women’s figure and bikini divisions. Along with the coveted overall titles at stake, dozens of IFBB pro cards were available to top placers in the divisions.
But what about the multitude of aspiring contestants who missed earning a trophy or pro status? Well, many set themselves apart in other ways. This short article will touch on many of the unsung entrants who may not have distinguished themselves, but still deserve mention for other reasons. Enjoy.
The Lightest
Men’s bodybuilding: Rafael Campuzano, El Paso, TX 129 pounds
Women’s bodybuilding: Patricia Watson, Fredericksburg, VA 112 pounds
Karen Holliday, Sumerduck, VA 112 pounds
The Heaviest
Men’s bodybuilding: Ambrose Middleton, Dallas, TX 262 pounds
Women’s bodybuilding: Nuriye Evans, Pompano Beach, FL 181 pounds
The average of 36 men’s HW competitors – 224 ¾ pounds
The winner: Kevin Jordan, Aurora, IL 225 pounds
The average of 19 men’s SHW competitors – 244 pounds
The winner: Ryan Pateracki, Altamonte Springs, FL 252 pounds
Shortest men’s physique: Trevor Lazarus, Lutz, FL 5-3
Tallest men’s physique: George Dorsey, Duluth, GA 6-5
Shortest women’s physique: Margaret Negrete, El Paso, TX 4-11
Tallest women’s physique: Reba Williams, Destin, FL 6-1 ½
Shortest in figure: Lea Goldsmith, North Bridgeville, OH 4-10 ½
Tallest in figure: Camille Clark, Pittsburgh, PA 6-0
Shortest in bikini: Lauren Triani, Ormand Beach, FL 4-8 ½
Tallest in bikini: Amanda Woolery, Metairie, LA 5-10 ½
Biggest Class of the Entire Contest: Men’s Physique Class ‘D’ (5-9 to 5-11) 62 entrants
Smallest Class of the Entire Contest: Women’s Bodybuilding MW Class 3 entrants (All three weighed exactly 124 pounds.)
The Thrill of Victory – The Agony of Defeat: One-point decisions!
Men’s Bantam:
1- David Nguyen, Bossier City, LA 8
2- James Shumpert, Airway Heights, VA 9
Men’s Light-Heavyweight:
1- Chris Tuttle, Glastonbury, CT 7
2- Lorenzo James, Dallas, TX 8
Men’s Super HW:
1- Ryan Pateracki, Altamonte Springs, FL 7
2- Joe Thomas, Lake City, FL 8
Women’s PhysiqJB5 2668 PNIZDCYOCLue ‘A’ Class:
1- Hanna Hallman, Acworth, GA 7
2- Lenore Kaiser, San Antonio, TX 8
Women’s Physique ‘D’ Class:
1- Carly Starling-Horrell, Wilmington, NC 7
2- Michele Horan, Melbourne, FL 8
And of course, with over 800 competitors there are bound to be some GREAT names:
Johnny Jazz
Kob Yan
Harmony Cannon
Topaz Good
Ivory Crofoot
Eunika Desir
Tau’Mee King
Turner Riddle
Sheeba Ibidunni
Zeus Kang
Shelby Mello
Bailey Dawn Milby (Best name for a future country western songstress.)
And Those That Were Meant for Each Other:
Jacques Pitcher and Jerrica Batting
Shinda Obey and Shelby O’Fay (Standing side-by-side in their Bikini class… honest!)
Queenie Benito (If she hooked up with Blake King, she’d be Queenie King. And if Blake wasn’t available Alfredo Prince would be waiting in the wings!)
Andrew Vu, Michael Le and Ha Nguyen: A vowel and a consonant will do.
A colorful quintet: Mark Brown, Violet Wilson, Baxter Greene, Jeremy Gray, and Ty White.
Found in Nature:
Lynnie Brooks, Bree Marsh, Virginia Pons, Genette Wolf, Caroline Rose, Adolfo Falcon, Dextria Sapp, Danielle Dove, Charli Woods, and Ecko Johnson
A Marriage of Convenience: Kyle King (Bikini class 5-6 ¾ ) and Kyle King (Men’s Physique 5-6 ½). Bikini Kyle is from Tampa, FL and Physique Kyle is from Bremerton, WA.
Food For Thought: Marty Burger, Antonietta Luigini, and Hallie Cook.
Keeping Up With the Joneses: Selena Smith, Candice Smith, Molli Smith, Linda Smith, Tyler Smith, Jessica Smith, and Denver Smith. Okay, okay… Lorenzo Jones.
And FINALLY: Roderick Johnson and Richard Dicks. A caption of your choice!
I know, I know, I have WAY too much time on my hands!
The First NPC Nationals
By John Hansen
Thirty-one years ago, a new bodybuilding organization called the National Physique Committee (NPC) began promoting bodybuilding competitions in the United States. The NPC was created to work with the International Federation of Bodybuilders (IFBB) to provide an amateur organization of the United States to work in conjunction with the biggest bodybuilding organization in the world.
In 1982, the NPC began promoting national level bodybuilding competitions. These included the NPC Junior USA, the NPC Junior Nationals, the NPC USA and the NPC Nationals. In fact, in 1982 the NPC Nationals was actually called The American Bodybuilding Championships to distinguish itself from the long running AAU Mr. America contest, a contest that was established in 1939.
Bodybuilders competing in the NPC would have a chance to earn professional status and compete in the IFBB. The road to becoming a professional bodybuilder went through the NPC. In order to compete with the IFBB pros, a bodybuilder from America would have to win his class at the NPC Nationals and then go on to compete in the IFBB World Amateur Championships (Mr. Universe). If the bodybuilder was able to win his class at the Mr. Universe, they would earn the right to compete as a pro.
Of course, in 1982 there was only Bodybuilding in the newly formed NPC. Men and Women’s Bodybuilding were the only competitions on the agenda. Fitness was years away from making its debut and new divisions such as Figure, Bikini, Men’s Physique and Women’s Physique were not even conceived of yet.
Leading up to that year’s historic NPC Nationals, the NPC had already held three national level competitions. At the 1982 NPC Junior USA contest, heavyweight Philip Outlaw won the overall title, beating out light heavyweight winner Jerry Scalesse, middleweight Reza Ramaghi and lightweight winner Terry Hale.
At the first ever NPC Junior Nationals contest, a little known bodybuilder from South Carolina by the name of Lee Haney won the heavyweight and overall. Lee defeated 20-year-old Mike Quinn, the winner of the previous year’s Teenage Mr. America contest to win the heavyweight class. In the light heavyweight class, Michael Klinefelter beat out the “Beast from the East” Benny Podda. The middleweight class was won by future Fitness Guru Tony Little, an excellent bodybuilder from Florida at the time. Who could have imagined that a future 8-time Mr. Olympia winner would be posing down with a loud mouthed, ponytailed fitness guru that night at the Junior Nationals?
At the first ever NPC Mr. USA competition that summer, a remarkable 60 competitors showed up to contend for a very tough event. Heavyweight winner Jon Jordan, a top contender in the AAU, went on to beat some future champions by the names of Bob Paris (3rd) and Mike Christian (4th). Gold’s Gym nutrition guru Neal Spruce placed in the runner-up spot. Donald Gay defeated 17 other bodybuilders, including future Mr. America winner Glenn Kneer while winning the light heavyweight class.In the middleweight class, little known Dale Ruplinger traveled from Iowa to win not only his class but also the overall title. Dale was so massive for a middleweight (under 176 pounds) that he was quickly nicknamed “The Man with the Hollow Bones” because he had too much muscle on his frame to weigh that light unless, of course, he had hollow bones.
The stage was now set for the inaugural NPC Nationals competition. An amazing 80 competitors showed up to win the first ever historic contest. In only its first year in existence, the NPC had already established itself as the biggest amateur organization in the United States.
Held in New York City, the 1982 NPC Nationals attracted bodybuilders from around the country. Each of the four weight divisions included top level amateur bodybuilders from around the country, all of them hoping to win their class and gain a spot on the USA Team that would travel to the IFBB Mr. Universe contest in Belgium and contend with the best bodybuilders from around the world.
In the Lightweight Class, Louisiana bodybuilder and veteran competitor James Gaubert dominated his division over 23 other bodybuilders. James had been competing on the national level for the past ten years, taking third at both the AAU Mr. USA (1976) and the IFBB Mr. USA (1977). He had also competed at the IFBB Mr. Universe in Columbus, Ohio in 1979, taking an impressive sixth place against international competition. For the last few years, James had moved up to the middleweight class, placing second in the AAU Mr. USA in 1981 and sixth at the AAU Mr. America later that year in that same weight class. For the first ever NPC Nationals, James wisely brought his weight down to the lightweight class and won a deserving first place.
In second place was the massive mini-Hercules Dean Tornabene. Third place went to Joe Distini and fourth place was taken by Dr. Jesse Lujan. All of these competitors would go on to be top contenders on the national scene for years to come, with Tornabene winning his class at the NPC Nationals in 1986 and Lujan winning the title the very next year.
In the middleweight division, 18 bodybuilders showed up to contend for the title. Dale Ruplinger, the incredibly massive bodybuilder who won the overall at the NPC Mr. USA only months earlier, won this class easily. Veteran AAU competitor, Pat Neve from Arizona, placed second to Dale in this class. Pat was a winner on the national level for several years at the AAU Mr. USA and AAU Mr. America with his massive arms and incredible upper body.
The middleweight class was filled with talent with several future national and world champions who were working their way up the ladder. Jose Guzman (World Amateur Champion in 1991) was placed 4th. Other notable competitors included James Youngblood (6th), Linzie McKinney (8th) and Quincy Roberts (9th).
The light heavyweight class was very competitive at the first NPC Nationals. As the 17 contenders took the stage, the overall quality was immediately evident. Even class winners on the national level like Jerry Scalesse (1982 NPC Jr. USA) and Tony Little (1982 NPC Jr. Nationals) were placed out of the money, in 11th and 10, respectively.
In the top five, the famous “Beast from the East” Benny Podda flexed and grunted his way into fifth place. The incredible Bronston Austin (light heavyweight class winner at the 1981 AAU Mr. America and runner up at the 1981 Mr. Universe) could only manage fourth place in this tough line-up. Bronston showed his displeasure with his low placing but this contest showed how much bodybuilding was quickly growing in both quality and quantity. Future super trainer Charles Glass displayed rock hard definition and amazing development in his upper body to take the third place spot. Charles would win his class the next year at the NPC Nationals by dropping down to the middleweight division.
In the runner-up spot, the incredibly thick and massive Chuck Williams had the audience cheering for this freaky unknown bodybuilder. Williams would also taste victory the following year when he returned to the NPC Nationals. The winner in 1982, however, was the handsome and genetically gifted Moses Maldonado. With glowing skin and round, full muscle bellies, the New York Maldonado was the audience favorite and his victory was unanimous among his loud fans supporting his hometown win.
The Battle of the Big Boys was up next! The audience gasped as the 21 massive heavyweights lined up onstage for the prejudging. Just to make the top ten in this impressive line-up was an accomplishment. Future IFBB pro and overall 1986 NPC Mr. USA winner J.J. Marsh was placed way down in 13th place in this inaugural NPC Nationals. Jeff Everson, husband of future Ms. Olympia winner Cory Everson and a great bodybuilder in his own right, could only manage 12th place. Even 1982 NPC Mr. USA heavyweight winner Jon Jordan was placed out of the top ten in 11th place.
Another future IFBB Pro, massive Mike Quinn, was placed in the 7th position behind the thick and massive bodybuilder, veteran AAU top contender Robert Reis from Wisconsin. The top five of the Heavyweight Class was a future Bodybuilding Hall of Fame line-up!
In fifth place was a vascular and massive Mike Christian. Mike still had to fill out his long legs before he could move up the ladder and take first place. However, only two short years later, Christian would have his day as he would win the 1984 NPC Nationals and the IFBB Mr. Universe. In fourth place was another future legend, Bob Paris. Already accumulating a pile of trophies from competing in the Southern California area, Bob was gaining a reputation as a modern day Steve Reeves with his amazing physique and handsome good looks. Paris would also achieve success only one year later when he would win the overall title at the 1983 NPC Nationals and the heavyweight class at the IFBB Mr. Universe.
In third place was the 1981 AAU Mr. America overall winner, the freaky Tim Belknap. Only one year earlier, Tim was the talk of bodybuilding as the 5’4” monster dominated the AAU Mr. America contest by winning the light heavyweight class and overall title. Sure of victory and a pro card at that year’s Mr. Universe contest, Belknap was surprisingly defeated by the symmetrical Jacque Neuville from France in the light heavyweight division.
Bitterly disappointed at his runner-up finish in a contest that he felt he should have won handily, Belknap was torn between competing again at the NPC Nationals to have a chance to avenge his loss at the IFBB Mr. Universe or just move on to compete as a pro. After seeking advice from no less of an authority than Arnold Schwarzenegger at World Gym in California, Arnold told Tim that the best course of action would be to return to the NPC Nationals and convincingly win the contest before going on to take the Universe title. That path, Arnold advised, would show everyone that he earned his pro card as a winner and not as a loser.
Belknap showed up onstage ready for victory at the 1982 NPC Nationals. Standing only 5’4”, Belknap was shorter than most middleweights but he packed some serious heavyweight muscle onto his compact frame. With legs that rivaled the legendary Tom Platz and massive 20-inch arms, Tim was rock hard and ready for revenge.
Unfortunately, Belknap had no idea that he was going to run into two young and genetically superior physiques at the NPC Nationals. First of all, Matt Mendenhall came out of nowhere (Ohio, actually) to shock the bodybuilding world with his “He-Man” body. Sporting ultra wide shoulders, a small waist and thighs that epitomized the term “quad sweep”, Mendenhall pushed the judges hard when it came to deciding a deserving winner of this very competitive class. Matt certainly got Joe Weider’s attention with his striking blond hair and blue eyes to go along with his freaky physique. This guy had “Magazine Cover” written all over him!
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However, the massive and symmetrical Lee Haney from Spartanburg, South Carolina was the inevitable choice of the judges at the 1982 NPC Nationals. Standing 5’11” and weighing close to 230 ripped pounds, Haney presented the new breed of physique that would define the bodybuilders from his generation. Like Mendenhall, Haney also possessed wide shoulders and an even smaller waist but he combined those superior proportions with rock hard density and vascularity. In the end, there was no doubt about the winning physique of Lee Haney.
In the overall posedown, the New York audience loudly supported the massive and aesthetic physique of Moses Maldonado while others in the crowd thought that the Man with the Hollow Bones, Dale Ruplinger, was going to win another overall victory after his surprising decision at that year’s NPC Mr. USA. However, it was the massive and ripped physique of Lee Haney that eventually took home the overall crown.
With such a fantastic debut, it should be no surprise that the NPC would eventually become the number one amateur bodybuilding organization in the world. After more than 30 years of high quality competition featuring the best bodybuilders in the country, the NPC continues to get bigger and better each year. And it all began way back in 1982...
Breaking 400: A Tribute to Greg Kovacs
By Dave Palumbo
I remember it like it was yesterday. The year was 1993. Dorian Yates marched onto the stage at the NPC Bev Francis Atlantic States weighing a mind-boggling 285lbs. His back was so thickly muscled that it looked like it belonged to an alien from a science fiction movie. His calves resembled cartoonish tree stumps that uprooted themselves at every step he strode. But it was when Yates hit that first front lat spread that my body went so numb that the only words I could utter from my lips were some incomprehensible gibberish. People in attendance that night at Hofstra University were all dumbfounded. Yates had set the new standard. In fact, he dorian yates 175 1993upped the bar into the ethereal heavens. Lee Haney had set a record in 1991 with his 8th consecutive Olympia win, but he did it at a bodyweight of 245lbs. Yates would go on to win the Mr Olympia in 1993 at a gargantuan 265lbs. In one single swoop, the man they called “The Shadow” had bulldozed the 80’s mindset that 300lbs was just some mythical number. The 1990’s became the new era of mass monsters and 300 was its calling card.
It was at this guest-posing that I promised myself that I, too, would one day weigh 300lbs. And in 1995 I achieved that goal, weighing 305lbs prior to dieting down to a ripped 258 at the NPC Jr Nationals. I, convincingly, won the heavyweight class at that contest and everyone wanted to know how I did it. The simple answer to that question had its roots in the fact that the true limits of muscular development are only those imposed by the mind. What the mind can envision, the body can achieve. Dorian Yates unlocked the limits on my mind and enabled me to take my physique to a place I never thought possible.
Flash forward 2 years to 1997. I, distinctly, remember the day I met IFBB Canadian Pro Bodybuilder Greg Kovacs for the first time. Why, you may ask? Well, it’s because I was never so intimidated by the sheer size of another bodybuilder in my life. At almost 6’2”, Kovacs had already far surpassed the 300lb barrier in the offseason and was competing at nearly that weight onstage. He was one of the largest men I had ever met in person and he was equally kind-hearted and warm, all at the same time. We instantly hit it off and became fast friends. We’d spend hours talking about diet and supplements and gear cycles; on 6ad6f0a914b2fbfa864a92b199a11fcathe phone and in person. We both were just as obsessed and devoted to finding the fastest, best, ways to get monstrously huge. While I was happy topping out at 315lbs, Kovacs had decided that his Pikes Peak would be the never-before-discussed 400lb mark. Personally, I thought he was searching for the mythical white unicorn. After all, how could any human being weigh a lean muscular 400lb? But Greg had no doubt about it; he was gonna get there, and then some.
Looking back at what I did and how I felt when I first hit 300, I now realize I was a man possessed with doing whatever it took to achieve my goal. Part of what it took was eating 6 food meals and 6 protein shakes per day. That worked out to downing some sort of nutrition almost every hour that I was awake. I would eat so much food that by the end of the day I couldn’t even stand the idea of having to swallow another calorie. Likewise, once I hit the 300lb mark, I was so winded just from carrying my new body around that my favorite part of day was, honestly, bedtime. In fact, I would often fantasize about how good it was going to feel when my body finally hit the pillow every night. Quite a life, huh? But hey; I weighed 300lb!
Fast forward to 1998, and Greg Kovacs was sitting at the MuscleTech booth in Madison Square Garden at the Mr Olympia contest where Ronnie Coleman would, eventually, stun the world and win his first of 8 Mr Olympia contests. At that show, Kovacs was tipping the scale at roughly 420lb and he was so big that he could barely move. Back then, Greg used to carry around his own battery operated fan to keep himself cool at booths, on planes, and in restaurants. In fact, Greg and his wife (at the time) bought me my very own fan as a gift. And that fan (that everyone used to make fun of) saved me from sweaty plane rides more than once in my travels. But to get a true idea exactly how huge Greg Kovacs was, you’d have to see him in person. At his biggest, he could barely fit into the passenger seat of my 5 series BMW; even with the seat reclined all the way back. He was so enormous that when walking with him in a shopping mall, people didn’t even notice me (at 315lbs). His body was so massive that he even broke a fiberglass Jacuzzi tub in his condo while trying to climb out of it.
What most of you are probably wondering; however, is how the heck did Kovacs became the first and only man to ever weigh a lean 400lbs? Well, the formula is very simple; train with the heaviest weights any many in the history of the sport of bodybuilding has ever lifted, consume some sort of high protein meal every hour around the clock, and sleep and rest as much as humanly possible. No one lived bodybuilding more than Greg Kovacs. No one was more passionate about bodybuilding than Greg Kovacs. No one was so single-mindedly determined to be the largest, most muscular, man in the world more than Greg Kovacs. And because of these emotionally charged, passionate, doubtless beliefs; Greg Kovacs became the 400lb muscular freak he envisioned.
However, on November 26, 2013, 44 year old Greg Kovacs dropped to the floor and lost consciousness while at his home on the outskirts of Toronto, Canada. He died while the paramedics frantically worked on him for over 20 minutes. Kovacs was recovering from cardiac surgery to repair his mitral valve just two weeks earlier and, from the text message he sent me 3 days prior, he was “feeling great”. Unfortunately, “great” to a bodybuilder who routinely lifted insanely heavy weights and who lived and trained through injuries and pain, doesn’t really qualify as medically reliable data. I believe that what Greg was truly trying to tell me was that he was at peace.
While Greg Kovacs never had the successful competition record of Ronnie Coleman or Dorian Yates, he probably made as much money from guest posing and endorsement deals. I remember Greg telling me that Europeans would routinely pay him $10,000 plus 2 first-class plane tickets and 5-star hotel accommodations for him to guest pose. But Greg never cared about money or material possessions. As long as he had enough cash to pay for his food and supplements; that’s all that mattered to him.
His sister Kristina Finbow remembers her brother in a similar light: “Greg set the bar so high for himself, he not only jumped over it; he had room to spare. He never expected anything from anyone. He had dignity and respect for people; but didn’t expect it back. He was funny and generous and kind and giving. Greg didn’t care about money. He lived his dream.”
And while it appeared on the outside that Greg was a single-minded individual, what most people will never know is that Greg had scholarship offers to college for his mathematical prowess, he sang opera, and he’d give his last dime to any friend in need. No, these are the things that only his close friends and family knew; but it’s also what made Greg so passionate and methodical about everything he did. And, unfortunately, just before Greg had made the successful transition into the next stage of his life; one in which he planned to dedicate himself fulltime to coaching aspiring bodybuilders and physique athletes, his life was cut short.
While Greg Kovacs’ heart was his greatest, most powerful, bodypart. . . in the end, it was also his most vulnerable. So I pose the question, was breaking 400lbs a mike-jenkins-aust lgdouble-edged sword for the Canadian Colossus? In one sense, it immortalized him as the biggest, most powerful, bodybuilder of all time. In another, it may have shortened his life by many years. I’m certain, if given the choice, Kovacs would have chosen the bodybuilding fame and accolades over a more mundane, yet lengthened, mortal existence. However, the question is still a troubling one. Is there a limit to what the human body can sustain? Is too much muscle a genuine threat to long-term health?
2012 Arnold Classic Professional Strongman Champion Mike Jenkins passed away in his sleep just 2 days after Greg Kovacs. Jenkins, like Kovacs, weighed an enormous 405lbs (although nowhere as lean as Kovacs) at the peak of his career. The 29 year old powerhouse worked at the Milton Hershey School for Troubled Youths, he co-owned Gamma Cross Fit, and he was married to his schoolteacher wife Kerri. The Bros vs Pros 7 Strongman Champion also had a burning passion to be the World’s Strongest Man (a feat he was very close to accomplishing), but his life was also cut short way too early. Was the 400lbs just too much for his heart to handle?
400lb Jeep Swenson who portrayed Bane in 1997’s Batman and Robin movie was the most massive man to routinely walk the streets of Venice, California. According to Venice Gold’s Gym regular, co-author of The Underground Steroid Handbook, and prior owner of Champion Nutrition, Michael Zumpano, “When people would see Jeep barreling down the block back in the 90s, they’d turn and walk the other way”. While the tattooed Swenson was one of the most intimidating men of all time, he was also one of the kindest. His life was also cut short on August 18, 1997 because of heart failure, and I have to believe that the 400lbs he routinely carried on his frame had something to do with it.
Professional Strongman OD Wilson missed becoming the 1990 Worlds Strongest Man because at 400lbs he lost the last event; a 200meter race with 220lbs on his back. Can you imagine what it must have felt like to run 200 ODWilsonmeters dragging along 620lbs? According to his Wikipedia page, “Wilson set multiple world records throughout his career, at the 1989 Armed Forces Championships, O.D. Wilson squatted 1002, benched 552, and deadlifted 876 pounds for a then, all-time total record of 2430 pounds. Wilson's weight at that meet was measured at 399 lbs, while his height was measured at 6'8”. It is believed he had one of the biggest quadriceps muscles ever , measuring a phenomenal 42 inches. Wilson's shoes size was 18 and his ring size was 26, while the ring size for the average adult male is between 10 and 12.” On October 29, 1991, while being interviewed on a radio program just a few weeks after the 1991 World's Strongest Man competition, Wilson complained of chest pains and went outside for some fresh air. Within moments he collapsed and died of cardiac arrest, he was just 37 years old. It seems very likely that 400lbs was just too much for the man they called, “Nightmare”.
Trevor Smith was a maniacally, passionate, bodybuilder who felt it was foolish to compete in his first bodybuilding contest until he hit an offseason weight of at least 400lbs. Smith extoled and promoted his Beyond Failure Training System along with his Nuclear Nutrition supplements as a way to push past the perceived boundaries of what is humanly possible and into the realm of the super human. Trevor, eventually, hit that 400lb mark and along the journey he hefted some enormous weights in the gym. While his life was sadly cut short prior to his ever stepping onto a bodybuilding stage, he’ll be remembered as one of the pioneers that knocked down the mental barriers to muscular gains. Whether or not Trevor Smith would have lived a longer life had he weighed less will never be known for sure; but his legacy as one of the biggest, most innovative, bodybuilders in our era will live on for years to come.
While breaking 400 seemed to be the ultimate achievement in human strength and muscularity, it also proved to be the undoing for the brave few who dared to tempt the iron fates. The human body, after all, is not a machine. It’s made of parts that break and, ultimately, cannot be repaired. So I pose the question, have we finally reached the limits of human size and strength? Or will future athletes find ways to trick the body into accepting ungodly amounts of muscle mass while, positively, adapting to the enormous strains on the human organ system? I guess that’s what testing limits and finding new technologies is all about. The original seafaring explorers (prior to Christopher Columbus) routinely lost their lives trying to cross the Atlantic Ocean. When new, more durable, ships were built, the long arduous journey was finally made possible. Many of the naysayers back on the European continents thought the dead sailors were falling off the edge of a flat world; but the innovative captains knew better. They dreamed and obsessed about finding a way to sail “around the world”. Perhaps, Kovacs, Jenkins, Wilson, Smith and Swenson are not the crazy risk-takers most of the world thinks them to be. Instead, they may have been the daring visionaries that will, ultimately, pave the way to a new improved super athlete that’s bigger, stronger, and more muscular than anything or anyone we’ve ever seen before. For now; however, they’ll all go down in the history of the iron sport as pioneers who proved that “400” was only a limit of the mind; one that they all surpassed en route to achieving greatness in their respective iron disciplines.