Tha Growl

FST-7: THE SYSTEM THAT CHANGED THE GAME by Roger "ROCK" Lockridge

2010-05-26T14:11:00.000-04:00

Many of you know what the initials FST-7 mean by now. It stands for Fascia Stretch Training 7. It is the training system that revolutionized the bodybuilding and fitness world since it made headlines in 2008. It was created by the “Pro Creator” Hany Rambod. It is also the system that made history as it helped Jay Cutler become the first man to regain the Mr. Olympia title after losing it. Other notable people using FST-7 include Phil Heath and new pro Seth Feroce.

The premise of FST-7 is that you stretch your muscle fascia to make room for more nutrient rich blood to get in your muscle fibers so they can recover faster and super compensate for the wear and tear that is done in the gym.

FST-7 is a system that is implemented to bring up weak bodyparts. It is fantastic for increasing mass and strength. It comprises of anywhere from 3-5 base exercises that you can do for 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps. You rest for 60-90 seconds max during the base exercises. The most intense part of this system is the 7’s at the end. You choose an isolation exercise and complete 7 sets of 8-12 repetitions. Isolation exercises are best because you don’t need to worry about balance and can focus on the target muscle. You only get 30-45 seconds of rest in between. Do not take this lightly. It is intense.

Below is a sample chest workout based on the FST-7 principles.

Incline Dumbbell Bench Press – 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps.
Incline Dumbbell Flye – 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps.
Weighted Dips – 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps.
Cable Crossovers – 7 sets of 8-12 reps.

Executing this workout properly will have you in and out of the gym in less than 40 minutes. Short and sweet, but intense at the same time.

Obviously with a system like this, nutrition is absolutely crucial. If your ducks aren’t in a row with your diet, you will be spinning your wheels and going nowhere. You should know by now that you need to eat 6-8 times a day and have high protein and moderate to high carbs, depending on your goals. The one thing you need to remember is the water. You should drink no less than one liter of water while you are training.

Some other key points to remember.

A stronger muscle is a bigger muscle. If you don’t train heavy, you won’t reap the full benefits. This is BDU so I am sure no one here is going light.

Make sure you stretch and flex in between sets. This helps with stretching the fascia and getting blood into the muscle faster.

Eat as soon as you are done so you can recover faster.

For more info on FST-7, go to www.fst-7.com.

A Big Dawgz United Interview with Doc Colossus

2010-04-24T11:08:00.000-04:00

YO! YO! YO! Sup Big Dawg Nation! It’s the Boss Man here with another rising star in the world of strength athletics. Today, I have Doc Colossus (no…that isn’t his real name and don’t ask what it is because he wouldn't even tell me!). DC is a rising strongman competitor from the state of Massachusetts with an interesting background. After several surgeries, he is lifting big weights and competing. I’ve been following this guy since I first say him on BodySpace (for those who don’t know what that is, check out http://www.bodyspace.com). So let’s dig a little deeper and see what is going on inside the head of Doc Colossus!

Fast Facts:

Name: Doc Colossus

Birth date: 1981

Height: 6’5”

Weight: 325lb.

Hometown: Massachusetts

Current Residence: Massachusetts

Years Training: 11 years

Best Gym Lifts: Bench Press, Dead Lift.

Marital Status: Working on it.

Hobbies/Interests: Movies, I love movies, everything about them!

Occupation: -

Thanks for sitting down with me, DC. How did you get started in lifting?

I got back from basic training and was shocked to find a friend who was a skinny rail when I left looking lean and thicker than I was. The competition began immediately.

Therefore, you couldn’t let someone beat you in being the biggest and the strongest – great motivation right there! We have all faced things in our life that challenge us. What challenges have you faced to get where you are today?

Early on, I was faced with a tough upbringing. I had little or no support from the one parent that worked, and verbal abuse and constant threats from the other. Later in life, after I began training I underwent several shoulder surgeries on the right side, surgery on my spine and yet another serious injury to the right shoulder, my Achilles Heal.

Injuries like that are always bothersome and you have to be careful when you train. What inspired you to become a strength athlete?

Whenever I would watch strongman events, I always thought I could do it if I trained for it, so I decided to give it a go. Turns out, I was right all along.

HA! Our gut is usually right about the things that will make us great. Everyone that I have interviewed thus far has given me a basic set-up of his or her training regimen. What is a week of training like for you?

That depends on the week, man. Some weeks I’m training heavy for strength, while some weeks I’ll deload and allow my nervous system to balance out. It varies, but the average week has me in the gym for roughly 2 hours per session, 4 sessions a week total. I believe overtraining is the devil, so I make sure to take enough time for rest, although some weeks, I go 5 days.

As we mentioned before, you have had some extensive surgeries. What happened to cause you to have surgery?

In most basic terminology, I had a few herniated discs and some tweaking on the spinal cord. I was doing an Axle Dead Lift in competition when the whole thing went bad, and I’m still paying for it today.

Wow! DC, you are definitely a big dawg! Not even injury could stop you from doing what you love. What championships/titles do you hold?

None, but I was working on the NAS Tire Flip record before I got hurt. Judging by the overall winners results for the tire event, and based on where I was pre injury, I would have blown the competition away. That’s always been my best event.

Nice! All you NAS competitors better watch out because DC is coming after that record! In some of our conversations, you have mentioned that you have competed in bodybuilding, powerlifting, and strongman. What are the training differences between those three?

Well training volume is a big difference. Bodybuilders live in the gym while powerlifters and strongmen live off of rest and recovery. Bodybuilders are more into fine-tuning their physiques and strength is not an overall concern. Powerlifting and strongman is obviously largely based on strength and physical ability. A difference between powerlifters and strongmen in my opinion is agility. Powerlifters are stationary during lifts (i.e. flat bench is a fixed position, dead lift has the feet planted in place), but strongmen have events that require not only lifting massive amounts of weight, but then moving them from point A to B (i.e. Atlas Stones, Tire Flip, Truck Pull).

Those are some huge differences in training so there must be huge differences in competing. How do you prepare for a contest?

That depends on the contest. For bodybuilding, I would diet for anywhere from 12-17 weeks depending on how soft I got in the off-season. For strongman, I train as heavy and often as my body will allow me to, and rest the 2 days before a show.

Where do you see the sport of strongman in the future?

I see it making more money for the competitors. That’s something that needs to happen.

Simple and to the point. No grey areas right there! You are a sponsored athlete for MRI. How did you get involved with MRI?

I was seeking sponsorship and Ron Coleman gave me some pointers on how to get my name out there, so I did as I was told – took a bunch of emails and phone calls but MRI finally gave me a go, though their sponsorship program is a lot different than most other companies, that’s all I’m going to say about that. Let’s just say there’s room for improvement.

OK…we won’t go any further with that one. We have a plethora of aspiring strongman competitors within the Big Dawg Nation. What are some basic training tips for aspiring strongman competitors?

Get your grip strong, and then get it even stronger! Be sure to be flexible, and then become very flexible! Be consistent in your training; follow a proven training routine for strength development. Oh yeah, be prepared to be humbled on competition day.

We also have guys and girls that want the benefits of strongman training without all the extremely heavy objects. What can people do to incorporate strongman training into their regular lifting routines and how will this help them?

Well, a lot of people get into Kettlebell work and some overhead log training. These help your overall grip strength and explosive power, which in turn help strengthen everything else. That’s sort of a loaded question that I could go on all day about, so I’ll just say that throwing some sledgehammer and tire work on top of a strength training routine would be a very good thing to consider!

OK people – don’t be afraid of the giant tire in the middle of your gym and the sledgehammer sitting next to it. They can be your best friends in training! The United States has a slew of young athletes that compete in the World’s Strongest Man. Will you consider participating in the World’s Strongest Man competition?

If I am ever able to compete again and actually place top 3, head to nationals and go pro upon a victory that day you better believe I’ll be knocking on Poundstone’s door.

That sounds like you are calling out Derek Poundstone. If you are reading this Derek, you better watch out. Will the United States bring the WSM title back home?

No doubt! Derek Poundstone had it last year but one slip on the stones caused a second place final, which was disappointing but it happens. This past year, he took fourth, with Brian Shaw placing third. Travis Ortmayer took fifth. Given that three of the top five were American, I would say the U.S. will see the title brought home within the next 2 years!

USA! USA! USA! Since this is an interview for Big Dawgz United, what is your definition of a big dawg?

Well a big dawg is someone that people look to for advice, and for motivation. People look to be inspired by the big dawg. The big dawg is someone who talks the talk and walks the walk, says they’re going to do something and gets it done, no matter what it takes.

That is what BDU is all about – leading from the front and setting the standard in the world of strength athletics. What are you plans and goals for the future?

Right now, a full recovery is my plan and goal. Everything else that follows will be a direct result of the recovery I make.

Before I continue, I have to talk about your fascinations with old school feats of strength. You started a group on Facebook that centers on bending nails, ripping phonebooks in half, etc… Explain your fascination with old school feats of strength.

I just think it’s sick when someone grabs a phone book and rips it in half (not lengthwise with a bend in the pages like those posers do it, the real way, across the binding). Things like bolt bending and book tearing are fun to watch, and I have always liked to entertain!

Old school feats of strength – a great way to show off your strength and show off for the ladies! Any advice for those who want to compete in strongman?

Listen to the veterans on show day, and don’t expect to take the win at the first contest. It’s a humbling sport that brings out your true character, just be true to yourself in your training, and do the best you can when it’s go time.

Finish the sentence:

The one movie I can watch over and over again is… The Wrestler.

The one food I could gorge on all day is… anything from a Mexican restaurant.

If I could watch one TV show for ever, it would be… MacGyver, dude was an innovator.

If I could meet any bodybuilder, it would be… Kai Greene, over some tea and conversation.

The one song that gets me pumped for a good training session is… the theme to the Karate Kid haha!

How can fans follow you and your progress?

Through my training log on http://www.muscleandbrawn.com under the user name DocColossus.

Well, I would like to thank you for sitting down with me and taking time out to let the people know who you are and what you’re all about. Is there anyone that you would like to thank or give some special recognition to?

Well thank YOU for the interview, always a pleasure. Thanks to Ron Coleman for the guidance, to Derek Poundstone and Travis Ortmayer for the motivation and advice post surgery. Thanks to Louie Simmons for the support immediately after I was injured. Thanks to my girlfriend for dealing with my strange ways (between my training style and eating habits I’m both amazed and grateful she didn’t run the other way). Lastly, thanks to the members of Bend It, Break It, Crush It, Lift It, Smash It & Rip It In Half for showing that this sport can thrive in a social forum!

Yes, you should be banned!! by The Cleveland Skeptic

2010-04-21T14:34:00.000-04:00

We've all seen it...the guy wearing sunglasses and 'bling' to the gym, the women in full makeup and earrings, the people that are there for 4 hours and only actually trained for 30 minutes. For some of us, the gym is a holy sanctuary, we go to train for a sport and it's important to us to be able to train seriously without thee distractions of every dildo waste of life who is there to socialize instead of train. Being a gym owner, I have had the pleasure of rejecting people I feel just aren't cut out for hard core gym life. Being an athlete, I have been in my fair share of gyms across the states and seen to my great dismay, that 90% of the gym population is horrid and should be banned. Truthfully, if I had it my way, you would also be banned from the planet...not only are you wasting time and space where we are training, but you are wasting time and space in life too. You are one of the many reasons parents should be required to have a license to have children. If you question whether or not you fall into this group, never fear...I made a list just for you!

1. Men who wear 'work out' gloves to the gym, even while on the treadmill

2. Women who come in full make-up, earrings and the smallest outfit they could find at baby gap...pretty sure you are here to train, not make a cheap B porn..put some fucking clothes on and get to work...skank!

3. Men who wear the 80's muscle shirt that has no sides and a big gold chain around their neck...i.e. Italians

4. People that come just to do cardio...really? You pay $400.00 a year just to walk on a treadmill? Haven't you ever heard of a sidewalk? It's free....retard

5. Mirror gazers...this is the worst...every set you do does not require you to go stare in the mirror and admire yourself you pompous self absorbed wind bag!

6. People that come six days a week and only work their chest and arms.....six days a week. You have other body parts douche bag...try getting under a bar and doing something like...SQUATTING!

7. People that wear a weight belt synched so tight they can't breath, for everything they do, including treadmill work...this is astonishing! Truly, you have reached a level of douchebagedness that is unheard of!

8. Women that just sit around and laugh...NO LAUGHING!!!!!!! TRAIN GOD DAMN IT!!!!! Cackle at home with the other hens...

9. People that don't shower and walk around smelling like hot sick ass on a carcass and leave their foul smelling sweat in puddles all over every piece of equipment...please..just go shoot yourself.

10. Every trainer that thinks squatting on a boso ball is "functional" training.

11. The idiot that yells with every rep of every exercise....yes, we see you, no, we don't think you are cool...you're an idiot

12. The wife beater and pants guy...just because you have big arms, we can see even with your pants on, that your legs look like a sparrow's with full blown aids...TOOL

13. The tuff guy....you are a staple at every gym in every city in the world I bet...the one spank off that thinks it's still high school and walking around eye balling everyone is still cool....no one but the children and women are afraid of you. You look like a clown and you have the personality of paper. Trying to act tuff doesn't disguise the fact that you're really a closeted homo

14. The walker....the guy that does a heavy lift and then paces the whole damn gym with his arms out, chest out and fists clenched like you just won a three on one fight. This type of attention seeking behavior is awesome...to make fun of. You;re a butt plug

15. The equipment hogs...you usually gather in groups and stand around one piece of equipment for hours on end talking about how awesome you are. Seeing that you typically find the one piece that there is only one of, people will ask to work in...you quickly say "no man, I'm right in the middle" and then proceed to talk for another 10 minutes before you do your next set. If you ever pulled that stunt with me I would shove a 45lb plate up your ass

Now although I am sure there are many more examples, this is sadly all the time I have this morning for today's rant! Enjoy and stay tuned!

BDU Interview with RJ Perkins

2010-04-21T14:30:00.000-04:00

Sup big dawgz! Tha Big Boss Man here once again with another interview of a rising star in the world of fitness. Now, I’ve done a few interviews and this one I have wanted to do for a while. When I first heard about this guy on MySpace, I was an instant fan! He has a level of dedication that you rarely seen in the young generation of amateur bodybuilders, and he is an all-natural bodybuilder, which made me a bigger fan. Now, he is on the pursuit of winning his pro card in bodybuilding and he isn’t letting anything or anyone stop him from doing that. Here is a quick rundown of who RJ Perkins is:

Full Name: RJ Perkins

Birth date: August 13, 1984

Height: 5’ 8”

Weight: Currently 220 lbs

Hometown: Bridgeport, CT

Current Residence: Raleigh, NC

Years Training: Been bodybuilding training for little over 2 years

Best Gym Lifts: 365 bench, 500 squat, 565 dead, 365 clean (from hip)

Marital Status: Single but happily taken

Hobbies/Interests: Computers, Video Games, Art, Music, Technology, Movies

Occupation: Credit Card / Fraud Specialist

Thanks RJ for sitting down with me. The first question that I ask and I am asking you is how did you get started in lifting and in bodybuilding?

My general involvement really took off and started when I got to college where I played football. My interest and curiosity started when I was kid. No, it wasn’t Arnold, Hulk Hogan, or any athletes – it was actually my mother. My mom was a huge gym fanatic and enthusiast. I remember she had a weight set with a bench, dumbbells, and homemade barbells with some plates and I would watch here while she would do that and her tapes in our basement. My mom was a BEAST! She had a very wide back and big thick strong legs. I get a lot of my genetics from her actually. I played football for 14 years. I started when I was eight in Pop Warner and finished when I was 22 after reaching and playing semi-professional football post-college. After I saw that my football career wasn’t going any further and I was excelling after the 2007/2008 season, I still found myself in the gym. Therefore, I did extensive research online, read a lot, and did my homework and decide if I am going to spend money and my time in the gym, I might as well make use of it and January 2008 is when it began. I competed in my first show in September 2008, won both my divisions, took home the best posing award, and I instantly got addicted and have been doing it ever since I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!!!

Wow RJ! I know you are thankful for having a role model like your mother to show you the way of the iron. Each of us face challenges inside and outside the gym that can effect us. What challenges have you faced to get where you are today?

Honestly, there are a lot of things. I mean this sport is so diverse and so difficult that I can’t put my finger on it. One of the first things that come to mind is consistency; it is very hard to be consistent with your diet, training, supplementation and everything else going on in your life. Another is expense. This is a very expensive sport, and sometimes there are times where I wasn’t able to buy supplements because I had to put my needs in front of my wants. Those are just a few to point out, but the number one challenge I have found is myself. Everyday I look in the mirror and ask myself am I better than yesterday and what will I do to be greater tomorrow. I am my biggest and toughest critic. To have the confidence to look in the mirror, actually tell myself I look like I am supposed to, and feel how I am supposed in order to be BEST POSSIBLE in this sport.

That is the truth! You are your toughest critic and RJ is a person who knows how to use that to drive him to bigger things. Now, I follow on Twitter and you work two jobs and still make it to the gym for some serious training. How do you balance two jobs and serious training?

Ha-ha! Think of it this way: it is not that I want to but I choose/have to. As I said, this is an expensive sport, and I have my own small family that I need to take care of. I don’t bitch or complain though. I am very blessed and fortunate to be able to work two jobs especially the way the economy is now and the unemployment rate is rising where people don’t even have one job. In addition, my girlfriend works with me at my second job and the people I work with and my bosses make it fun, and being a bouncer is a fun job. My cooler of food comes with me to both my jobs and I always make sure I have everything I need to get through my days as well. The thing is when I hear people make excuses and reasons why they can’t go to the gym it shouldn’t but it pisses me off! I’m no superhero but I mean if I can go to work, then the gym, then go home, eat, and shower, then go to my second job, then you have no excuses. Your job, kids, spouses, etc should not be excuses why you cannot put your general health first. Trust – I would do any and everything for my family, but I also work to hard to put the gym behind me to let anything fall off in order to reach my personal goals.

This is why I am a HUGE fan of him. He is the dictionary definition of dedicated. What is a week of training like for you?

I am currently 19 weeks out as I started my 20-week journey/prep to compete late this summer to get my pro card. Therefore, my training with a few tweaks is the same as I would during my off-season. Here is a quick look, but once again, this is susceptible to change as time goes on but where I am at now this is how I am training.

Monday: Upper Power
Exercises done with 3 sets x 5 reps

Tuesday: Lower Power
Exercises done with 3 sets x 5 reps

Wednesday: HIIT Cardio
Done for 20 min

Thursday: Upper Hyper
Exercises done for 8 – 12 reps

Friday: Upper Hyper
Exercises done for 8 – 12 reps

Saturday: Lower Hyper
Exercises done for 8 – 12 reps

Sunday: HIIT Cardio
Done for 20 min

Now, in order to be training for your pro card, you must have won some contests before this point. What championships or titles do you hold?

2008 OCB North Atlantic States
Men's Bodybuilding 101: 1st Place
Men's Bodybuilding Short Novice: 1st Place
Awards: Best Posing Award Men's Bodybuilding

How do you prepare for a contest?

Diet wise when I did my first contest I did a Keto type diet where it was protein, veggies, and fats with a strictly carbohydrate re-feed every 3 days or 18th meal. This worked very well for me especially for my first show, but I feel like I was still a little flat and could have went in drier but hey my results show how I did so no complaints. As for now, I am using carbs in my diet (currently about 275 – 300g a day). The key with the diet I am doing now is when I eat my carbs, mainly at breakfast, pre-workout, and post-workout. This is working very well for me and I am able to sustain energy and strength…FOR NOW!

Training wise I have finally learned if it is now broken why fix it, plus a IFBB pro once told me that the only things that should really change and differentiate during contest prep is diet and cardio. Why change your off-season style of training if it works for you, yeah you are gong to tweak the sets and reps but the overall outline should remain the same. Therefore, I have been sticking by that and it is working out greatly for me.

With cardio, I basically increase it basically by adding in the HIIT cardio, that is really about it, when and how much in general doesn’t change from what I did in my off-season. I hate cardio, I mean I hate the stuff but I keep my eye on the prize and take it from there. I am trying not to do as much cardio as possible as I am letting my general diet change and weigh training help with the trimming of my bf.

Mentally I remind myself everyday why I do this and what my over all goal is. I know I may never be like Layne Norton, Dave Goodin, Joe Franco, Phillip Ricardo, or the other great names in natural bodybuilding, but I want to be a force and a respected name in the game. I want to gain the respect from my competitors. To me respect is everything, I take my football mentality to the bodybuilding life where my number one goal on the field was to gain my opponents respect and always keep in the back of their heads “that kid RJ Perkins make sure you are on the look out and have your eyes open”.

Who or what inspired you to become a bodybuilder?

Once again, it goes back to my mom and her involvement with the gym and the lifestyle. In addition, her fiancé has also been a great influence. Back in his day, this man was a FFRREEAAKK. Until I met this man, I had never seen a man the size of this man. The first thing I said to myself when I first met his was “this dude is like a silver back gorilla.” I’m not saying he looked like an ape, but his physical stature was just like that of a gorilla. I hade never ever seen a man with forearms or arms as big this man. I met him when I was 12 or 13, back then I was a bill bad ass. I didn’t care who it was I could whoop anyone’s ass. No one intimidated me. After my parents divorced and my mom let me know she was dating someone and if I wanted to meet him I was thinking “hell yeah” I want to make sure he knows that he better not mess up or it’s me and him.

Well when he walked through that door all my ego sunk to the bottom of my stomach right out my ass, excuse but I was like “WTF?!?!!?!?” When he shook my hand, it felt like he crushed every single bone in my hand and I pulled my hand out shook it and said “oowww” right in front of him. Then and there, I knew the power this man possessed and was not a joke. Over the years, he was my mentor and teacher, gave me books to read and always was telling me this and that about lifting. He was also my ego booster. He always told me I was untouchable, that no one was better, and that I had a gift. This man was a martial artist, supreme gym rat, and a guru, to me this man was the complete package.

High school football and college football came and passed, he was always there with advice, making sure my head was right, and where it needed to be. He was always giving me pointers on supplementing, hooking me up with basics like creatine, whey, and other miscellaneous crap. When the time came and I finally told him I wanted to compete, he was all about it. He had my back 110%. At this point and time, he eased back on advice and help, started asking me more for tips and tricks. The main thing he kept telling me and reminding me during my prep was “stay out the dark and away from the dark side.” The first thing was does he think I am going to start using? No, after the show and finally listening to what he was saying, he wanted me to realize there is more to life than the gym: do not forget your family and friends; do not be so consumed with the sport that you miss out on life. Life is too short to worry about if you missed a supplement or meal, or kill yourself over why you cannot bench over 300 lbs.

This man means a lot to me and I love him very much, now thinking about it, he is my inspiration and motivation as to why I do this. For personal reasons I won’t go into detail, but I am grateful and blessed to have the chance and opportunity to be able to do what I do. Sometimes life gives to us and takes away, and when it takes away something that is a part of you as a living person it can consume and eat at you, but you can’t bitch and complain all you can is move forward. So in essence, I do this for him.

Now, this is what I like to see – the older generation teaching the younger generation the way of the iron. Now, I first met you on the forums for Universal Nutrition’s Animal brand where you were pretty well known and now, you have a sponsorship deal with Anabolic Innovation. How did you get involved with Animal/Universal Nutrition & Anabolic Innovation?

First things first, I get a lot of questions from people online and in the gyms left and right asking if I was a sponsored athlete or worked for Universal Nutrition. The answer is no. I was never sponsored or worked for them. When I first started becoming more involved online with bodybuilding (logs, forums, message boards, etc.) and when I was getting ready for my first show, all the supplements I was taking were from Universal/Animal. I started my first training log on their website where I had a decent following and support system. This was the first and only board I was posting on.

After my show, they had a contest where you wrote and submitted a post based on a topic they provided and the prize was an all expense paid trip to the Arnold Sports Festival in 2009. I happened to win the contest and they flew my girlfriend and me to the Arnold to spend time at the expo and their exhibit. I finally got a chance to put faces to the names, train with the fellas, train one on one with IFBB pro Evan Centopani, and so much more. It was an amazing time and they treated my and my girlfriend like family. It was a phenomenal time this was a great event and opportunity but most importantly great people to be around.

I continue to post on their boards and forum and show them love as they did the same for me, and from that experience and the Arnold, I have made some great friends. I literally have one on one personal contact with a lot of the people from the Animal forum, some of their athletes, and some of their working staff for the company. I really appreciate all the company has done for me and I am fortunate to have the people associated with the company in my life.

As far as Anabolic Innovations, that is my new official sponsor. I am very blessed and fortunate to sponsored and associated with such a great company and group of people. I am a newly sponsored athlete so it is still all new to a huge adjustment for me and I love every minute of it. How it happened was they approached me to log one of their products. I asked them to send me their product information to make sure I could use it based on competition rules and regulations. I stated my log and it was going great. The reps on Bodybuilding.com for AI (Anabolic Innovations) were strong: there were supporters of the log and their product and they were all over other boards. I did further research of their product line and other products they had to offer. I let the head guy in charge, Mike Crowler, know that I was very interested in the company’s products and so forth.

I got contacted again to do a log for another one of their products but wasn’t able to. I had gotten asked to do a log for another company and their product. I let them know if they need more help down the road let me know. Well I do not know what happened but when I told them I couldn’t do it and the reasons why, Mike Crowler contacted me later that day asking if I would be interested in a sponsorship with Team AI. At first, I didn’t take it seriously, because I had been contacted about sponsorship opportunities from other companies and after the first few time, they disappeared. Therefore, I took it with a grain of salt but definitely let him know that I was very much interested. Well, he was obviously very interested because within a day, I was and official AI athlete. I was so happy and very thankful and blessed to be able to get a chance to be a legitimate athlete for a serious company.

We are a great team and company and we offer great products. We may not offer a ton of products, which to me is great. To me, too many brands have one too many products that are not necessary but put out there for profitable reasons. All good – get your money but AI is simple but a very strong line. I am just happy to see where we can take the company and line and this couldn’t have come at a better time being I landed a sponsorship at the beginning of my prep to my pro card.

Well, on behalf of Big Dawgz United, I say congratulations on all your success so far. You recently made a huge move from Connecticut to North Carolina. What is the lifting scene like down in North Carolina and how does it differ from the lifting scene in Connecticut?

Umm it is ok. One thing for sure is there are some big and strong country boys down here, but it is nowhere near on the same level as back up in the tri-state. We have Pat Richardson, who is an IFBB Pro here locally to me, who owns his own supplement shop. I have a couple guys in my gym who compete as competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters so I am able to keep myself surrounded by people who know and understand the sport. For the most part though, the scene down here is nothing to brag about. At the same time though, North Carolina is such a large state, I haven’t full been around to notice. One thing though, in Raleigh alone, it really isn’t huge, BUT I like that it gives me a chance to set myself apart from everyone else and give myself a name. Back in Connecticut when you have names like PJ Braun and Evan Centopani to compete with, I have no chance.

Well, just from the people you named and the members we have from both states, both Connecticut and North Carolina are big dawg country. Everyone knows that anyone who is a part of BDU is considered a big dawg. What is your definition of a big dawg?

To me, a Big Dawg is someone who sets himself or herself apart from everybody else, the type of person that has some sort of presence that you can’t help but notice them or acknowledge the fact they are there.

What are your future plans and goals?

Honestly, right now, my main goal and focus is obtaining my IFPA Pro-Card nothing else, contact me after I get it and I will update you.

Sounds like we will have a follow up interview with you after you win that pro card. We have a ton fo readers who want to become competitive bodybuilders. Do you have any advice for those who want to compete in bodybuilding?

Never give up. This is not an easy sport. It is so easy to quit and give up. Eating a lot of the same foods day in and day out, sacrificing your time and money can be draining. A lot of times, this sport can be more mentally draining than physically, do not let it get the best of you. If you are looking to make a lot of money and become famous doing this, STOP right now because it is not going to happen. Only the best of the best and freaks of the freaks get that. I am not saying you cannot be the next Jay Cutler, Arnold, Dexter, Dorian, or whoever but do realize chances are slim to none.

Learn to have balance in your life. Once again, this is more than likely not your career and you’re not getting paid from it. Balance your job, family, friends, significant others, and overall life. The weights and gym will always be there. If you are in a relationship with someone very accepting and understanding of your life, make sure you show them love and appreciation for it everyday. I have a gorgeous and wonderful person who is my #1 fan in my corner and I do my best to let her know. You as an athlete may not be perfect but remember: it’s the little things that count the most.

Awesome advice right there! Where do you see the sport of bodybuilding in the future?

As far as natural bodybuilding, I am starting to feel like it is really going to take over. A lot more men and women are competing in natural federations as apposed to the others. As far as bodybuilding as a whole, I see it getting bigger, and bigger just like its athletes. People talk about baseball, basketball, football etc. Look at MMA and where it is at now from where it was, and even so athletes are associated with bodybuilding due to the supplement companies.

One thing I really hopes starts to happen is that as soon as someone hears the word bodybuilder, they do no automatically assume and use the word steroids. There are natural athletes out there, like myself, and we take great pride in it. Therefore, I am hoping that the influence of natural athletes and competitors we have more of a voice in the sport to spread the word and get it out there that we are here and you can achieve your physical goals drug free.

Well, I think I am running out of questions but let’s see where your head is at in other places. Finish the sentence:

◊ The one movie I can watch over and over again is…Dodgeball
◊ The one food I could gorge on all day is…Hamburgers
◊ If I could watch one TV show for ever, it would be…Family Guy
◊ If I could meet any bodybuilder, it would be…Frank Zane
◊ The one song that gets me pumped for a good training session is…Big Pun – Dream Shatterer

You are a man that has his name and face all over the Internet on social networks. How can bodybuilding fans follow you and your progress to getting your pro card?

You can find me everywhere:

Myspace
http://www.myspace.com/mraestheticz

Twitter
http://twitter.com/Mr_Aestheticz

Bodyspace

http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/Mr_Aestheticz/

My Team BDU Forum Journey Log

http://bigdawgzunited.freeforums.org/mr-aestheticz-2010-po-card-journey-believe-and-become-t114.html

My Anabolic Innovations Journey Log

http://www.teamanabolicforum.com/showthread.php?67-Mr-Aestheticz-2010-Pro-Card-Journey-BELIEVE-AND-BECOME-!

My BodyBuilding.com Journey Log

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=123743381

My AnabolicMinds.com Journey Log

http://anabolicminds.com/forum/workout-logs/150743-mr-aestheticz-2010-a.html

Well, I would like to thank you for taking time out to sit down with me. Is there anyone that you would like to say thank you to or give special recognition to?

First, I really want to thank God and my Lord & Savior Jesus Christ for all his life blessings and giving me the gift and ability to do what I do. Thank you very much to Team BDU for all the love and support you guys have shown me. Thank you to Mike Crowler for giving me the chance and opportunity to be apart of Team AI. Thank you to my girlfriend for being my number one fan and supporter of all that I do and dream, I love you so much. Thank you to my parents for all their love they give and the support that they show. I try to make you guys proud. Thank you to Bob a.k.a Partna for being my knowledge, guide, and guru. I do this for you. Thank you to all my family, friends, and fans that show me love and support, it means the world to me and I greatly appreciate it!

Shout out to Bridgeport, CT, though I wanted out I never forget who I am and where I come from. To my brother Jose, my niece Joslin, and nephew Guelo. Shout to all my friends at Universal Nutrition: Eric, Christian, Gregg, Adam, Evan, etc. Shout out to my friends on the Animal Forum. Shout out to Anabolic Innovations: Mike, Nate, Don, all the AI athletes, and reps. Huge shout out to my brotha from anotha motha Andy – told you big things for this kid. Thanks for all your support. To Tony, without him my posing game would be horrible thanks for all the help and knowledge you dropped on me. Finally shout out to all my haters out there I love ya’ll too, ya’ll keep adding fuel to my fire and the flame keeps getting bigger and bigger.

Thanks again RJ and we wish you huge success in all endeavors!

Hyperion to a satyr by Tha Big Boss Man

2010-04-17T11:01:00.002-04:00

Research has shown that in the United States, the average adult male stands 5’9”, weighs 190 pounds, has 14 inch arms, can bench 145 pounds, and has 22% body fat.

We always hear about how women have issues with body image and how society projects the idea that they have to look a certain way in order to be accepted by global society. Conversely, male body image issues are never discussed, but the way the world presents the ideal male physique makes it a serious issue.

If you take a walk through your local shopping mall and actually pay attention, you will notice a few things about the stores. First, you will see that most stores do not cater to all sizes of people. If you are a male that wears over a size 42 pants or larger than a 2XL shirt, you will probably not be able to purchase any clothing from any store in the mall. Secondly, if the mall has a “big and tall” store, it is probably in some obscure corner where no one can find it, and most malls don’t even have one (I will discuss big and tall stores later on). Third, stores like Hollister, Abercrombie & Fitch, Aeropostale, and America Eagle only have males working there who look like models and do not accurately represent all males in America.

American society is trying to push the idea that in order to be an accepted male, you have to look like these male models. You are probably wondering how this idea is being spread. Well, you have these stores in the mall. There also is the body mass index. Body mass index, or BMI, is a calculated number that tells you if you are underweight, normal, overweight, or obese solely based on your height and weight. The actual formula is:

[Weight in pounds ÷ (Height in inches)²] x 703

(If this is too complicated, there are a ton of BMI calculators on the Internet.)

After you figure out your BMI number, here is the chart to tell you where you place:

Below 18.5 – underweight

18.5 to 24.9 – normal

25 to 29.9 – overweight

30 and over – obese

I think that it’s important to show how wrong the BMI is by using one of the most well known visions of healthy living – bodybuilding. Bodybuilders are seen as a prime example of healthy living. They are known for their amazing physiques. There are dozens of publications worldwide that promote bodybuilding and their practices. The reigning Mr. Olympia, Jay Cutler, stands at 5’9” and weighed 266lb at the 2009 Mr. Olympia competition. According to the BMI chart, his BMI is 39.3, which makes him obese. Now class, repeat after me – CONTRADICTION! How can Cutler or any other bodybuilder be seen as examples of fitness and healthy living, but also be considered overweight or obese? If you haven’t been paying attention to what I have said, the body mass index is nothing but BULLSHIT!

The BMI scale does not take genetics, ethnicity, or activity levels into consideration. From what I have observed and read, it seems that those of African, Polynesian, Germanic, Native American, or Scandinavian descent are genetically designed to be bigger than average. It is my personal opinion that the body mass index should be thrown out the window and we find another method of determining the health level of an individual.

My next qualm with male body image issues is this whole idea of a “6-pack.” Who made the decision that a 6-pack is a sign of good health and a symbol of being a man?? If I remember my high school biology class, have a chromosomal pairing of XY, along with all the extra body parts that come along with that XY chromosomal pairing defines what a male is, not having a 6-pack.

Yes – everyone would like to have a visible 6-pack but it shouldn’t come at a sacrifice of size. I know people who are massive and have visible 6-packs and will show them all day. We have to remember that the abdomen is a group of muscle that can increase in size through rigorous exercise. Also, there are plenty of people who aren’t concerned about having visible abs, but want strong abs so they are strong overall.

Now, I think this is a good time for me to use my college degree in history to shed some light on male body image. In history, the idea of the male physique was extremely different than what it is today. In African “tribes” (I don’t like using that word, but it’s the only word I can use that everyone can understand), men who were wealthy were actually big men. Their girth was a sign of their wealth. Siddhartha Gautama, also known as the Buddha, has statues of him all over the world as a fat man sitting in the lotus position. Greek mythology has their gods, in human form, as larger than life. History’s idea is that the bigger you are, the more power you have and the more accepted and respected you will be by society. Now, it seems like that you are more popular if you look like the poster child for Abercrombie & Fitch with frosted tips and the fakest, orangest tan on the planet. American society has warped the image of the male physique and I am ready & willing to take a stand against it!

Back to the topic of big and tall stores, I am a fairly large man and I have always had trouble finding clothes that fit me the way I want them to fit. I’ve shopped at a big and tall store one time and I REFUSE to shop there again. My issue with these stores is they don’t make the men who shop there feel good about themselves or their body images. The big and tall stores make their shirts to fit over protruding stomachs and not everyone has a gut. Big and tall stores place a stereotype on all big men – they are fat with protruding stomachs. I won’t go into detail about how vile the clothing looks, but you get my point.

What American society has done has caused mass confusion and hysteria amongst the men and boys in the United States. Yes – I say boys. I have never seen so many boys under the age of 16 so obsessively concerned with their physiques. It’s a shame that young boys are studying diets and taking supplements, including steroids. On top of that, American society is teaching these boys, along with adult men, that there is an easy fix to their physique “problems.”

The only way to get results is to TRAIN HARD and LONG. It’s not these 20 minutes a day, 3 times a week routines you see all over television. It is spending hundreds of hours in the gym sweating and bleeding and crying in pain to build the physique you want.

It has gotten to a point where the American media is FORCING the ideal male physique on American men rather than letting American men CHOOSE what physique they want. It reminds me of Hitler and his eradication of every race that did not fit the description of his Aryan race. American society is trying to eradicate every male physique image that does not match up with its version of the ideal male physique. I refuse to let someone else, other than the Almighty God, tell me what kind of physique I should have. It is my choice not to be 174lbs. It is my choice to be big and bulky. Neither the American media nor American society has the right or privilege to tell me what I am supposed to look like.

Speaking of the American media, let’s take a gander at that and see how they screwed up America’s view on the male physique.

American television and film give off this preconceived notion of what the ideal male should look and act like. You rarely see the protagonist as someone who isn’t “fit” (and I use that term loosely). What television and film do is make their male viewers think that if they want the hot girls, the fancy cars, and a ton of money, they have to look like the people they see on the screen. WRONG!!

Now, I have talked about a ton of thing as far as the male physique and body image issues and I need to focus on the effects of all of this. Two things have happened: first, there is this mad dash for gyms by men so that they can look like this ideal physique that has been pressured on them by any means necessary. Second, this pressure by American society on American men has caused many men to give up on the gym and not even care about their health. Both scenarios are not the best but it is happening and we can thank American society for that.

The big question: What can be done about it??

Well, we can’t change everyone’s mind but there are some things that can be done. First, we can fight off these pressures that American society tries to place on us. How? We can not let society place a common image on us because we are not common. Second, we can let people know that it’s OK to be different. There is nothing wrong with not fitting the cookie cutter image. The biggest concern should be being healthy and if you’re healthy at a heavier weight than normal weight, that is all that matters.

It’s going to take a wing and a prayer to show American society how wrong they are but I believe that sooner or later, people, especially men, will stop listening and make their own decisions about what their ideal physique is and stop having all these body image issues.

An Interview with Beau "Dr. Vitabulk" Wilson

2010-02-26T13:41:00.000-05:00

What’s going on Big Dawg Nation! It’s Tha Big Boss Man here once again with another interview of one of the rising stars in the fitness industry. This time, I wanted to do something a little different. Instead of digging into the brain of an athlete, I thought it might be interesting to take a good look at the business side of the lifting game. Beau “Dr. Vitabulk” Wilson is a good friend of mine and is the founder and owner of Vitabulk, a supplement retail store down in the state of Georgia, along with his website, www.vitabulk.com.

FAST FACTS

Full Name: Beau Wilson
Date of Birth: August 30, 1984
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 250lbs
Current Residence: Suwanee, GA
Training Experience: 10 years
Marital Status: Engaged (at time of interview)
Hobbies/Interests: Bodybuilding, Running my Vitabulk retail store and website www.vitabulk.com and lifting heavy as much as possible. Nothing’s better than moving that iron.
Occupation: Owner of Vitabulk and www.vitabulk.com

Thanks Beau for sitting down with me for this interview. The first question that I ask everyone I interview is how did you get involved in lifting?

I grew up as a small, chubby kid. I saw a bodybuilding magazine when I was very young and from the time I could drive myself to the gym (a little before as well), I was at the gym. The rest is history - it’s my passion.

You made a big move by opening both a supplement retail store as well as an online supplement store. How did Vitabulk get started?

The idea just came to me one day, I loved supplements but retail store chains were too expensive and most websites didn't offer good service and/or were not reliable. I said to myself, “I could do this better,” and I made the steps to create Vitabulk and Vitabulk.com.

There are so many online supplement stores so why open an online supplement store?

As I said above, it’s my passion. I sell products that help people reach their goals, I love to meet people in person and go over their goals. However, the Internet lets me reach a larger audience, that why I created the Ask Dr. Vitabulk section of my website. If people needed help, instead of reading an article and trying to go it alone, they can email me details and get the live store experience and the products that will best help them reach their personal goals without leaving the comforts of their homes.

That is just great Beau. More online supplement stores need to do that. Most lifting enthusiasts rarely hear anything about lifting down in Georgia. What is the lifting scene in Georgia like?

It’s very tame. There isn’t a ton of bodybuilders in my area, most gyms are highly commercialized, and aerobics are a central selling point at gyms. I have a few good training spots that I've dug up though.

You here that Big Dawg Nation – we have to get down to Georgia and make it Big Dawg territory. Anyways – since you love to train, what is a week of training like for you?

Right now, I’m on a 5-day split (Monday-Friday) that reads Chest, Back, Legs, Shoulders, Arms with cardio/calves/abs mixed in with those days. That’s what I've found works for me. I can only train a body part one time in a week and really recover. I like to train heavy, with control and good form. My mind-muscle connection has really gotten better this past year. It’s true in my opinion that it just takes years to build a strong neurological connection between the mind and the muscles in a lot of movements. It's not about just slinging things for me.

Good advice right there. I know I tell plenty of people that it takes time and patience to get what you want and to achieve great things. Do you ever plan on competing in any sport?

I may compete in Natural Bodybuilding one day or try out Strongman competitions. I'm not big on powerlifting just because it doesn't seem like a fun sport to me, though it seems like that would be the most natural fit for me.

Well, you know if you start competing, BDU will be behind you al the way. I know we have talked and we learned that we are both Christians. How does being a Christian affect the decisions you make in your training, your business, and your life?

I try to keep it at the forefront of my mind every day. I would say it has a positive effect because with everything I can only do what I can do and know that in the end the outcome of everything is in God's hands and part of God’s plan. That being said, I guess it makes it all less stressful because I know I ultimately do not control the outcome of any of it and that I'm blessed to be able to do what I'm doing every day.

Amen! See people, BDU isn’t just about developing the physical man but the complete man. What plans do you have for Vitabulk and yourself in the future?

I'm getting married March 6, 2010 so that’s my plan for the first half of this year. Just settling in with my wife after the ceremony/honeymoon and enjoying some time together. As for vitabulk, we have been blessed with strong growth and we hope to sustain that throughout 2010 and eventually open more retail locations and take the company public one day. Our approach to customer centric service has served us well and I love what I do.

Congratulations on getting married. We’re praying that you have a wonderful marriage and great success with Vitabulk. What are some of your other interest besides lifting?

I'm a simple person. I love my woman, I love my dogs, and I love God. Church on Sunday is something I look forward to every week. I'm not a big hobby person though outside of training – that’s just what I do. Not enough time for much else these days.

You have to do what makes you happy and if that is training all the time, go for it! We have a ton of readers that are interested in starting their own companies. Do you have any advice for those who want to start their own company within the fitness industry or in general?

Do your homework. Know your stuff and don't dive in to anything to quickly. Building a business is a marathon, not a sprint. That’s the hardest thing to cope with in the start of a company. Even if you have a great idea and great execution of said idea, you've got to be patient.

Well I would like to thank you for sitting down with me and letting the people know a little more about you. Is there anyone you would like to thank?

I would like to thank my amazing future wife, Natalie, for all her support of my crazy eating/training schedule and all my subscribers on YouTube and the entire Vitabulk nation out there. I care greatly about all of my customers and their success.

Well – there you have it! Another big dawg doing big things! I would like to thank Beau once again for sitting down with me and chatting. As an added bonus, Big Dawgz United and Vitabulk are working on a special project that will be sold on both the BDU website and Vitabulk.com, but we are going to let Beau get married to Natalie first before we release any more details about the project.

Make sure you check out Beau’s store at http://www.vitabulk.com. He has some great deals and you can chat directly with him. Also, check out his YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/drvitabulk.

Don’t forget to keep up with all that is happening with Big Dawgz United at http://www.teambdu.net!

2010 Big Dawgz United State of the Brotherhood Address

2010-01-30T12:58:00.002-05:00

First and foremost, I would like to say Happy New Year to each and every one of you. Every year, I try to go into detail what is planned for Big Dawgz United for the coming year as well as discuss what has happened in the previous year so that we can do better and be better.

There are many new things that BDU will be doing this year as well as many things that we will be changing. Some of the changes will come easy while other changes will be difficult to deal with. However, I believe that if we remain united through this, we can get through this with minimal damage.

Website

As most of you know, Big Dawgz United has been blessed to have an official website. We have been hard at work trying to promote the site. We have made some excellent contacts, including famed powerlifter Andy Bolton. Right now, the BDU website is hosted through Microsoft Small Office. However, the website will be moving to another hosting site within the next few months. With this move, BDU will have a Flash-enabled website that will be more inviting to visitors and will have more features than the current site.

With the new website, there is a need for picture and videos of you all doing what we do best – being big dawgz! These can be pictures and videos from training, competitions, expos, or anything pertaining to being a big dawg. Pictures must be in a JPEG format. As far as videos, we will have to figure out how we can do this. We may create a playlist on YouTube or something along those lines.

A new section that would be interesting and help draw new members to BDU is a workout of the month section. My idea is that we can feature a few workouts from different members each month as a way to share training techniques with each other. More details will be released as they are developed.

One of the sections that really needs work is Tha Growl. Tha Growl is the official BDU blog through Google’s Blogger service. This where articles on training, diet & nutrition, motivation, as well as athlete interviews will be posted. What are needed for Tha Growl are writers. We need people to write articles for the blog. We have a plethora of people who are experienced in different areas of training that can really make Tha Growl a huge success. If you are interested in writing for Tha Growl or submitting a vlog (that’s a video blog), please contact us!!

Anyone that is interested in assisting with the website – whether it is through actual work on the site or just suggestions – is more than welcome to. I am not a dictator. I am completely open to any suggestions that will edify BDU. You can submit your ideas to me or any of the BDU officers.

Recruitment

As of January 2010, Big Dawgz United is at a membership of close to 400 people. That is fantastic and we are continuing to grow. I want to personally thank everyone who has brought someone to join the brotherhood. We all must continue in our recruiting efforts.

BDU has three Internet locations where we can recruit. There is the BDU MySpace account, the fan page on Facebook, and the group on BodySpace. The MySpace and Facebook accounts are doing great and the BodySpace account is slowly growing. We are trying to create a Twitter account for BDU so we can send out immediate updates to all of you that use Twitter.

The one thing we all need to improve upon is when we recruit; we have to tell them what BDU is all about so they will know what they are getting into. I will work on a clear and concise description of the crew that you call can use when recruiting.

Also, please do not be afraid to recruit our female counterparts. Being a big dawg does not mean you have to be a guy. I would love to increase our female membership and we all need to make a conscious effort to do so.

BDU Apparel

The sales on the BDU Stores are atrocious! We haven’t made sales on either site in a while. We as a whole have to either purchase items off of there or get people to purchase items. I know that the items on both sites are expensive but there isn’t anything I can do about it. Both sites have base prices for items and I can only raise the price to make a profit.

That is one of the reasons I start the limited edition shirts. At first, it was going to be just for the 2010 Arnold Sports Festival but I thought we could have a BDU shirt of the month to get people really interested in BDU apparel. The stores will remain up but this will be in addition to them. Each month, there will be a different shirt available for purchase. I will try to keep the price at $25 for those in the USA and slightly higher for our international members. That price will cover shipping unless I don’t get enough people to order, then the price will increase.

Any suggestions for shirts are welcomed. Just make sure your idea is not overly complicated. The more colors we use on the shirt, the higher the price will be per shirt.

The MIG Situation

As you all know, we had some issues over the summer and as a result, a new group was formed. MIG was created from former BDU members and for a period of six months, both groups were at odds with each other. In early December 2009, I had sent out an email through the BDU Forums and ended up sending that email to Gorilla Warrior. We ended up talking and resolving the issues that we had with each other. Big Dawgz United and Magni Iron Warriors have called a truce. We are in support of what each other does. The two groups will remain separate because we learned that we have different philosophies on many things in regards to the gym.

I feel we need to be cordial to everyone that crosses our paths. You never know what opportunities may come our way.

Networking

As I stated before, BDU has been networking with other groups, individuals, and companies. These companies support what we do and a few of them want to meet BDU as the 2010 Arnold Sports Festival.

I want to really expand our network with other companies but I would like someone to assist with this. I do not want any of the officers to step up. They have enough on their plates. If you have experience in this and want to assist with this, please notify me. We can discuss details when you contact me.

Conclusion

2010 will be a great year for Big Dawgz United if we are all willing to put the time and effort into making it great. I know I have said a lot in this address and it is a ton of work but I believe that we can do it!!

We are always here to answer questions, listen to suggestions, and receive help with what we are trying to accomplish. If you have questions or want to offer assistance, shoot a message to us on MySpace or Facebook or you can e-mail us at bigdawgzunited@gmail.com.

I am truly glad that BDU is as successful as it is within these first five years and I am expecting even greater things in the future. I am proud to be not only the leader of BDU but also a brother to each of you. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you all have done for BDU and for me. It hasn’t been an easy road but I thank God each moment I get for a support system and family as great as you all.

Let’s make 2010 a great year for each of us individually and for BDU!

Tha Big Boss Man

The Ultimate Big Dawg Fitness Expo Survival Guide

2009-12-26T11:42:00.000-05:00

Introduction

Every year, the fitness community has a ton of fitness expositions where supplement companies show off their latest products, people compete in several strength events, and fitness fans are given the rare opportunity to meet the people they read about in fitness publications. There is so much that goes into planning a fitness expo and there is a lot more that goes into attending on for the fans. After attending the 2009 Arnold Sports Festival, I decided that I needed to write a survival guide for all of those people who really want to know what to do when it comes to one of these expos. This particular guide will refer to the Arnold Sports Festival but you can use it for just about any fitness expo that happens. At the end of the article, I will list all the major expos that are going on in 2010 with dates, locations, and the website you can get more information about each expo. So, with all of that being said, let’s get the show going!!!

Tickets

Tickets are on sale right now through TicketMaster. Tickets for just the Arnold Expo and all that entails are only $10 a day. Most of the pro shows and the prejudging for the amateur shows are extra. However, there is a VIP Package that you can purchase for $350. When you get this package, you get tickets to EVERYTHING and I mean EVERYTHING! Now, as far as picking up your tickets, it’s a bit complicated. For those who live in the Buckeye State (that’s Ohio for all of those who don’t know state nicknames), you can go to your local TicketMaster location and pick up your tickets ahead of time. For all of us non-Ohio people, we got some work ahead of us. When you go and buy your tickets from the TicketMaster website (www.ticketmaster.com), you have to print out your receipt. Make sure you keep that sheet because without it, you will have to spend more money to get tickets. You have to take that receipt with you when you go to the ASF and take it to the ticket booth at the Greater Columbus Convention Center where they will give you the tickets. Now, you have to exchange the tickets in for wristbands that you have to show when you enter the Expo. For those who will purchase the VIP Package, everything will be mailed to you. Yes…I realize the ticket process for the ASF is a bit complicated but they do things like that for security purposes so that people get what they pay for and they don’t get people who are trying to con some free tickets. The VIP Package, if you decide to purchase, is mailed to you so you have everything and don’t have to wait in long lines to get your tickets. You can purchase a VIP Package at the ASF as well.

Travel and Lodging

This weekend is probably one of the busiest weekends for the city of Columbus with everyone being there for the ASF, and also the fact that the Greater Columbus Convention Center is relatively close to Ohio State University and the University of Miami of Ohio is not too far away and it’s March Madness season. Make sure you locate a hotel that is close to all the action. The ASF website (www.arnoldsportsfestival.com) provides a detailed list of hotels in the area. Call ahead to reserve your room or rooms because the hotels will fill up fast! Another option is to stay with someone who lives in Columbus or relatively close to Columbus. It would save you money and also guarantees you a buddy to hang out with at the ASF.

How you get there is completely up to you so I can really give out advice on that but I will say to arrive the day before so that you can scope out the city and find all the good places to eat and to train at. Also, this will help those who suffer from jet lag get over that more quickly so you don’t miss anything that is going on during the ASF.

Also, get a rental car if you are not driving up or riding with someone. Parking will be a pain but if you get there early enough, you will find good parking for a reasonable price. If your hotel or lodging accommodations are close enough, you can simply walk to your destination. The ASP does offer a shuttle service for the whole weekend and has pick up locations around the city of Columbus. As the ASF gets closer, they will provide a map with the entire pick up locations and the route the shuttle will take.

Clothing

You may think that clothing is not that important, but it is so important. The best thing to wear for an event like this is something that is comfortable and will keep you cool. It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it’s comfortable. The person that I was with last year at the ASF decided he didn’t want to take off his jacket and sweated through a brand new Animal t-shirt. He definitely learned his lesson. If you want to show off the hard work you have put in at the gym, you are more than welcome to because everyone else will be doing it. For the guys, make sure you wear a shirt that you can take off easily because some of the booths like to give away free stuff to guys who are willing to take off their shirts. Also, make sure you have party clothes. Columbus is a college town with a slew of nice nightclubs and bars. You don’t want to look like a scrub when you go out.

On the other extreme, you don’t need to wear your good clothes. There is no need to walk in there in a 3-piece Armani suit or a Vera Wang gown. To be honest, the only person I saw in a suit or even business casual was Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and he had taken off his jacket and loosened his tie. So, it’s all about being comfortable as far as what you wear.

WEAR COMFORTABLE FOOTWEAR!!!!! There is no real seating at the ASF so you will be walking and standing all day long…especially in those lines waiting to take a picture and get an autograph of your favorite strength athlete.

Meeting Friends

The ASF is attended by THOUSANDS of people so meeting up with friends requires some technique. First, make sure that everyone you want to meet up with has a cell phone and has text messaging. Trying to make a phone call in there doesn’t work. Every booth has music blasting and people are talking loud so trying to hear someone on the phone will be really hard. Text messaging will be your best friend when trying to reach people that are there. Pick a place that is central and easy to spot to meet up with people. Small booths that no one knows about and the huge booths that everyone will be at are not ideal places to meet at. The central stage or one of the booths near the central stage is ideal places to meet. You can also meet outside the Convention Center or outside the doors of the Expo.

Eating

Now, this is very important. You all know how important it is to get a good meal in. There are a few ways if getting meals in while at the ASF. My first suggestion is scheduling your meals. By doing this, you are guaranteeing yourself that you won’t miss a meal or miss events or meet & greet opportunities you want to be a part of. The Greater Columbus Convention Center has a food court with about 10 to 15 restaurants but there are also a ton of restaurants throughout the city. Another option is to bring your own food. This is really good for those who are on a contest diet or have severe food allergies. One thing that I will suggest is that everyone brings a protein shake or two just in case you are in a long line waiting to get a picture and autograph from your favorite pro and you get hungry. It’s quick and easy and will satisfy hunger for a little bit.

Also, bring some water with you. It does get really hot in there and you will be doing a lot of talking to people so you want to keep hydrated.

Meeting the Pros

One of the many reasons people attend the ASF is because it’s an opportunity for them to meet their favorite bodybuilder, powerlifter, strongman, MMA fighter, or other athlete. The best advice for meeting the pros is that you treat them like normal people because that is what they are. I believe that if you treat them like a friend and not like they are a celebrity, they will be more receptive to you and will want to talk to you. Granted, they are paid to be there but we as fans should treat them like people so they can have fun while they are working. This advice comes with a word of warning – there will be some pros who will act like jerks to everyone who isn’t a pro. Don’t pay them any attention. They are just being jerks. (I won’t say any names but let’s just say he won’t be asked for an autograph in 2010.)

Governor Schwarzenegger is a different story. Since he is a political figure, he has security around him and with him at all times. He arrives at the ASF and walks around the entire event. This may be your only shot to be close to him and get a good picture of him. He does shake hands if you are close enough to him.

Also, there are plenty of celebrities from other professions who are working booths and you do have a chance to meet them. In 2009, music icon 50 Cent and WWE Superstar Triple H attended and worked booths. So, you never know who you will meet at any one of these expos.

Hitting the Gym

I know that most of us don’t want to miss a training session while we are at the ASF and we don’t have to. If your hotel has a fitness center, you can go there and hit the weights. There are plenty of gyms in Columbus that you can get a guest pass to. Unfortunately, there is no Gold’s Gym, LA Fitness, World Gym, or Bally Fitness in Columbus at all so those with memberships there can’t take advantage of that. Here is a list of some of the gyms that I found in the area:

· Westside Barbell
3884 Larchmere Drive
Grove City, OH 43123

· Power Shack Gym
4048 Park Mead
Gorve City, OH 43123

· Metro Fitness
9 East Long Street
Columbus, OH

· Lifetime Fitness
3900 Easton Station
Columbus, OH 43219

· Columbus Sports Connection
4250 N. High St.
Columbus, OH 43214

Personal Presentation

Personal presentation is essential at this event or at any event like this – especially for those who are seeking some sort of sponsorship or endorsement deals. Many CEOs and other high level executives of supplement and clothing companies are there working the booths and may be looking for new talent to endorse their products. So, you want to be nice and courteous to everyone that you may encounter. Also, there are photographers and videographers taking pictures and video. MuscleMag International set up a fake cover shoot with a few of the MMI models so the fans can take pictures with the sexy ladies. Those pictures ended up in an issue of MMI. You don’t want to end up in a nationally published magazine looking like a fool.

Supply List

Now, you have to go into the ASF with some supplies so you can take full advantage of the event.

· Bag – Now, you will need some sort of bag to put all the stuff you buy and the stuff you get for free in. Do not bring some school backpack or one of those drawstring bags. You will need a fairly large duffel bag to fit everything in. Most booths will give a plastic bag but you don’t want to carry around 50 plastic bags. Bulk Nutrition sold duffel bags at the 2009 ASF that were big enough for all the goodies.

· Camera and Batteries – This is fairly obvious so I won’t explain this one. However, I feel like I need to go into detail for those who can’t figure things out for themselves. There is a few ways you can take care of the camera situation. Most cell phones have cameras on them so you can use them to take pictures. You can also buy a ton of disposable cameras to take pictures with. The most obvious option is to bring a digital camera with rechargeable batteries and large enough memory card to take pictures with. With the cell phone and digital camera options, you can upload your pictures to a computer or social network website sooner than if you had disposable cameras.

· Water bottle – With that many people, it will get hot. Having a bottle of water with you will keep you cool and keep you hydrated. I have a Nalgene bottle that I fill with water and it’s made of indestructible plastic so I can use it again and again. It’s a good move for the ASF.

· Hand Sanitizer – Germs are all over the place and you don’t want to get sick so having a small bottle will help you not get sick or pass germs.

The Goodies

It’s time for the good stuff!! The ASF or any other fitness expo is one of the greatest opportunities to snag some items from your favorite supplement or clothing company. Most of the companies give away free samples of their supplements. The good thing is that you aren’t limited to one sample. If you spend the whole day at the ASF collecting samples, you could walk away with enough supplements to last you a couple of months after the ASF. (I know I did!) Just imagine if you did that for all three days. Also, these companies will be selling supplements for a discounted price so it’s a good time to stock up on items that are in your normal supplement regimen. If you are a t-shirt fan like I am, the ASF is the perfect chance to get t-shirts. I think I bought 6 shirts while I was there. They also sell other things like protein shakers and a bunch of other items so make sure you got money.

Conclusion

Well that’s all I have to say. Just remember to have fun and to be prepared. You can’t be prepared for everything but I pray that this survival guide will have you somewhat prepared for an awesome time. As I promised, here is a list of all the major expos that will be going on in 2010. (At the time I wrote this, these are the expos I could get information on. As I get more info, I will update this article.)

2010 Fitness Expos

The Los Angeles Fitness Expo
January 23 – 24, 2010
The Los Angeles Convention Center
Los Angeles, CA

The Arnold Sports Festival
March 4 – 7, 2010
Grearter Columbus Convention Center
Columbus, OH

FIBO
April 24 – 25, 2010
ESSEN Exhibition Center
Essen, Germany

Europa Supershow Sports and Supplement Expo
August 13 – 14, 2010
Dallas Convention Center
Dallas, TX

Mr. Olympia
TBA

2010: THE YEAR OF BIG DAWGZ UNITED!

2009-12-19T10:17:00.000-05:00

To the members of BDU. I want to first say it is an honor beyond words that I was invited by Tha Big Boss Man to join your elite fraternity. Every member I have spoke to so far exemplifies what it is to be a lifter and a representative to health and fitness. I hope to do you all proud as I raise my own bar.

I want to do more though. I don’t just want to prove that I belong with all of the champions in the group. I want to show the entire world the greatness and energy that flows in the veins of each of us. I want the entire world to know that BDU is a group where excellence is the norm and greatness is the standard. BDU is THE stamp of approval that you contribute something great to the game.

As bad as I want to do this, I can’t do it alone. I want each member of the group to know that in 2010, when you go to the gym, dungeon, or basement to train, you carry more than a gym bag and your pride; you carry the shield and banner of BDU. Each breath you take, each rep you complete, each pound you throw around like pillows, you contribute a brick to the foundation of BDU’s impact on the bodybuilding and fitness world. As 2010 draws near, I want the world to know two things.

1. If you are a member of BDU, then you are one of the elite. You are the measuring stick to which everyone else is compared. You give all that there is to give and strive to be a champion. BDU is the gold medal, world title, brass ring, and signifies you are the BEST at what you do.

2. You don’t just join BDU. You have to sacrifice to be a part of this group. To be a BIG DAWG, you have to give your heart and soul to the iron, expect nothing in return except pride and pain. To join the elite, you strive to do what the guy next to you won’t. You crave the iron like a newborn craves milk. It is your drug; your very existence depends on whether or not you gave your all to the game.

As everyone enjoys the holidays and gets ready for the New Year, I want you to know that I am not just some writer who preaches and doesn’t practice. Know that each fiber I tear down and try to rebuild is dedicated to BDU. I am in the weight room training with the intensity of a freight train without a conductor. Also know that as long as I am a member of this group of champions, the world will know that Big Dawgz United is making an impact in gyms across the globe and because of Big Dawgz United, bodybuilding and fitness as we know it today will NEVER be the same!

Roger “ROCK” Lockridge

Roger "Rock" Lockridge is a writer for World Physique Magazine and for Bodybuilding.com. He was recently named the 2009 Bodybuilding.com Male Writer of the Year. He is also a contributor to Ironpinoy Magazine.

Interview with Damian "BPM" Osgood by Tha Big Boss Man

2009-11-02T09:22:00.000-05:00

Wassup people! This is Tha Big Boss Man here with a good friend and fellow big dawg – Damian “BPM” Osgood!

Damian is a powerlifter who competes in the 181-lb class. I wanted to sit down with him and pick his brain about powerlifting and his own personal journey in it. Thanks for sitting down with me Damian.

No problem

OK…before we get to all the difficult questions, let’s go over your vital stats:

Full Name: Damian Lee Osgood
Birthdate: February 29, 1984
Height: 5'2"
Weight: 195lbs but I compete at 181lbs!
Current Residence: Wilton, Maine
Years Training: 10½ years
Marital Status: In a relationship
Hobbies/Interests: Music, playing Guitar and singing, having Cookouts, Hunting
Occupation: Personal Trainer

Now that’s all out the way, my first question is how did you get started in lifting?
I bought an issue of Flex Magazine when I was 14 years old and told myself I wanted to look like that.

What challenges have you faced to get where you are at now and make you the person that you are?
When I was 17 years old, I lost my Father to cancer. I knew he had it for about 6 months. He passed away on August 29, 2001. Then, in April of 2002, I was hit by a truck traveling at 60mph while I was walking. I didn’t break anything but did a number on my lower back and hips. In 2003, I had to have surgery for a hernia. In 2004, I was remodeling my home and a 500-lb Steal I-Beam kicked off a jack and landed on me, I suffered a small tear in my front delt and trap. In 2007, I tore a small part of my chest benching 620 while getting ready for a meet. In November of 2008, I dislocated 2 fingers very badly and have to have surgery and have then pinned back into my wrist. In May of 2009 I tore my left hamstring warming up on some leg curls! I just have bad luck I guess!

That is some bad luck right there but it looks like you have pressed on anyways. As stated before, you are only 5’2”. I honestly thought you were taller from your pictures that I have seen. What advantages and disadvantages does being 5'2" have on being a successful powerlifter?
As a lightweight powerlifter, I think it’s a huge advantage to being short. If you look at the biggest lifters in the lightweight classes, there are short.

Ok all you short people…being short DOES have its advantages. As a competitive powerlifter, how do you prepare for a meet?
I like to wear equipment 12 weeks out from a meet. I also eat very clean and every three hours from when I awake until I go to bed. I weigh and measure all my meals. I sound and eat like a bodybuilder but I tell you what – I get lean and super strong!

What is a week of training like for you?
Sunday - Bench
Tuesday - Biceps and Abs
Wednesday - Legs
Thursday - Triceps and Shoulders
Friday - Back

Sweet! Now, most powerlifters and other athletes have nicknames. Where did the nickname "BPM" come from?
I was training with Brett “SGT Rock” Howard and he likes to get you fired up and he told me I was a Bench Press Machine, and it stuck!

Well from what I have seen, that is definitely a true statement. Who or what inspired you to become a powerlifter?
I walked into the gym and a few friends were there and they had the gym owner Sandy Burk and Ken Sprague show me the powerlifting movements. I was able to break all the state records in the first week in the gym and I wasn’t wearing any equipment. 6 months later, I went to my first meet and broke 8 state records. I was hooked from there!

Wow! You, sir, are what I like to call a natural freak! What powerlifting championships do you

hold?
2001 – WABDL World Bench and Deadlift Teen 148lb Champion.
2003 – WPA World Bench Press Teen and Men’s Open 165lb Champion - Best Lifter
2003 – WABDL World Bench Press 165lb Runner Up (as a Teen)
2004 – WPA World Bench Press Junior and Men’s Open 181lb Champion - Best Lifter

It seems like you have accomplished plenty in powerlifting but what do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment so far?
Benching 605 at 178lbs!

Awesome! You’re only 25 so what are your future plans and goals as far as being a powerlifter?
Brad Heck once told me never to chase anyone or a number and just to go on to the platform and break your Personal Record. I plan to do just that at my next meet. I would also like to get full sponsored by a Bench Shirt Company.

Well, the way you’re going, that won’t be a problem. Most people don’t know about powerlifting. If there was a powerlifting-based reality show, would you do it? Why or why not?
No, I’m not much into reality shows or TV for that matter!

A man whose is only focus is the iron! I know we have a ton of people out there reading this and wanting to get into powerlifting. Do you have any advice to anyone who wants to get into powerlifting?
Set goals that can be reached. Don’t try and be a superstar and do what the professionals do. Take things one step at a time! Eat right and train smart!

Solid advice from a solid man right there! Now, for a little fun! What is your favorite:

Movie
The Run Down and The Hangover!

Food
Steak and Cheese

TV Show
I guess ESPN since I really don’t watch TV

Athlete
Jerry Rice

Sport
To watch football, but overall, Powerlifting and Bodybuilding

Musician
Nickelback and Keith Urban

Song to work out to
I have a lot. I used to listen to TNT by AC/DC every time I benched over 500lbs. Now I would say God Smack, Rob Zombie and Ozzy Osbourne.

Well, I want to thank you for taking time out to sit down with me and let the people all over the world that read this get to know you a little better. Is there anyone that you would like you thank?
My family and friends – without you, my dreams would have never been possible. Alan from APT – his lifting equipment is above the rest. I would also like to thank Team BDU for interviewing me! Check me out at www.bpmosgood.com or at www.myspace.com/bpmosgood.

Big Lift & Lift Big!
Damian “BPM” Osgood

Thanks again Damian!

Bench 605@178.8

-=[[[[--BPM--]]]]=- | MySpace Video

BDU Interview with Matt Kovacs

2009-10-30T09:27:00.000-04:00

Sup big dawgz! Tha Big Boss Man here again with another spectacular interview. This time, I have Matt "The Attack" Kovacs. Matt is a champion mixed martial artist out of the state of Washington with a heart of a true big dawg. Before we get into the interview, here’s the hit list about Matt.

Full Name: Matthew Kovacs‎
Birth date: May 9, 1981‎
Height: 6 feet ‎
Weight: ‎ 250 lbs.
Current Residence: Bothell, Washington‎
Years Training: ‎ 8 years
Marital Status: ‎ Single
Hobbies/Interests: ‎ Fitness, boxing, video games, karaoke, beer
Occupation: ‎ Personal Trainer/Pro Fighter

Thank you Matt for sitting down with me. When were you bitten by the iron bug?
I first started lifting with my father in Boston, MA, when I was 13 years old to get in shape for football and have literally never looked back. I include strength training in everything I do from fighting to recreational softball!
‎
‎Damn bro! That must have been a big bite! Have there been any challenges you have face to get where you are at now and if so, what were they?
The biggest challenge I have had I have to say are making the right decisions and keeping the commitment. I went through a lot of legal problems growing up, a lot of fights, and even some jail time. It’s safe to say I wasn’t with the right crowds. So, finding the right motivation and people who support your dreams and goals is CRUCIAL for success!
‎
‎Wow…I’ve known you for years and I never knew that. Now, for those who may be thinking "his last name looks familiar", Matt is the nephew of IFBB legend Greg Kovacs. Have you felt or do you feel any pressure to live up to what he has achieved?
I don’t really have much pressure. I don’t know him too well due to him being on my father's side and I don’t have too much of a relationship with my dad anymore. So the pressure wasn’t there, but I respect what he accomplished in his career.

‎Well, you are definitely making a name for yourself. What do you do to prepare for a fight?
Fighting is 90 percent mental. You drill and train for so many different types of scenarios that once the fight time comes, I just go into cruise control. I mentally focus on what my game plan is, and if I visualize it, it usually happens in the fight.

‎Take the readers through a week of training.
I usually get up at 6 am to go to the gym for my strength training and AM cardio session. Then it’s off to work which conveniently is at the gym I train at (Gold’s Gym Bothell) and then, I travel 26 miles to Arlington Kickboxing Academy for my MMA training which consists of 1 hour of kickboxing/striking, 1 hour of Pankration/Submission wrestling, and on certain days, we will finish with an hour of Jiu-Jitsu or sparring. It’s a tough day!

‎That is some tough training. Now, I’ve heard many people call you "The Attack." Where did that nickname come from?
It was given to me by my first manager, Marv Treadwell, when he watched me fight at a Toughman Competition. He said I just "ATTACK! ATTACK! ATTACK" and then it stuck.
‎Who inspired you to become a MMA fighter?‎
You know, I followed MMA from the beginning and have always been a Ken Shamrock fan and a Wanderlei Silva fan because of their impressive styles and "fight anyone" attitude. Those guys are true warriors. Even when they lose, they go down swinging and that’s exactly the mindset I have. Even if I lose, I'll break something off in my opponent first.

‎That is the attitude of a true champion. I know you hold a few championships. What’s the gold you wear around your waist?

I'm currently the United Mixed Martial Arts Heavyweight and the Professional Fighting Association Heavyweight Champion.

‎

Nice big dawg. You have accomplished a lot in a short amount of time. What is your greatest accomplishment so far?

My greatest accomplishment to date would have to be my last fight - a 12 second KNOCKOUT of Sportfight Heavyweight Champion Josh Queen. Unfortunately, since I knocked him out in IDAHO and not in Oregon, where his title holds precedence, I technically did not get awarded his title.

Now, that just sucks, but that is just the luck of the draw. What does the future hold for you, Matt?

I plan on continuing to fight and strength train and eventually step into the UFC cages. I'm already living the dream, and I just want to keep challenging myself and take on the toughest opponents out there.

‎Awesome! I don’t think that Dana White is ready for someone like you. Now, if you could pick anyone to face in the octagon, who would it be?

I would love to fight Kimbo Slice. We would match up well and I don’t think he has the chin to bang with me.
‎
‎Was that a challenge? Kimbo better watch his back. Now, here’s a challenge from BDU – you versus Brock Lesnar. Who would be on top?Brock is a freak. He has great conditioning and an awesome work ethic. I think he's a bit too cocky for only fighting MMA for a year. It would be a tremendous fight. I think in the end I'd catch him in that big mouth of his and take his title.

‎Now that is a bold statement. Like I said before, the UFC is not ready for you. Recently, you tried out for Spike TV’s Ultimate Fighter. How was that experience for you?

The try-outs were a great experience. It was good to see all the best MMA fighters from across the country coming together and grappling/striking. Unfortunately, I didn’t make the show but there were only 16 spots and I think more than 400 fighters showed. So it was kind of like the lottery. Next time I guess.

‎Well, keep trying out. You will make it on there and win. There is tons of aspiring MMA fighter reading this interview. Can you offer any words of wisdom to them or to anyone that wants to travel down the road of MMA?

Check your ego at the door and you will be fine. Too many people compare their MMA skills to their "bar fighting" experiences. There is no comparison. MMA is so technical. The fighter is physically and mentally prepared for you, and there is no bouncer around to save your ass if you're getting beat up! No, for real though, follow your heart. If you love to fight and train, MMA is the best sport in the world with NO DOUBT the best athletes in the world. We do everything! Sprints, powerlifting, core training, distance running, swimming, and grappling. You name it. Follow your dreams, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!

‎Great advice, Matt. Now, let’s get to know you a little more. What is your favorite:
‎◊‎ Movie- The Naked Gun or Braveheart
‎◊‎ Food- Pizza
‎◊‎ TV Show- "The Ultimate Fighter"
‎◊‎ MMA Fighter- Wanderlei Silva and Rampage Jackson
‎◊‎ Sport- Football and MMA
‎◊‎ Musician- Corey Taylor from Slipknot
‎◊‎ Song to work out/fight to- Bleed/Slipknot

‎Well, I want to thank you for taking time to talk to me. I know you have a multitude of people you want to thank. Here is you chance to do just that.
Thanks and much love to my family and friend who have believed in me through the BAD TIMES as well as the good ones. You are my strength. To my coach, Landon "The Show" Showalter, and all my boys up at Arlington Kickboxing Academy - we stand and fall as a team and as individuals. My mother - you are the strongest person I will ever meet. My bro, J-Smooth - keep representin’ in SoCal!! Big Dawgz United for the interview & support. Enemy Tattoo, Zipfizz, Wreckd Clothing, Kurupt Clothing, and Neal's Barbershop...ALL MY SPONSORS!! Finally, all my opponents for taking the fights with me so I can keep making highlight reels!

Well, here is another great example of that being a big dawg is all about. To contact Matt or find out more about him, find him on MySpace at www.myspace.com/matttheattack

Until next time, I’m out! Oh, I promise that my next interview won’t be a MMA fighter. PeaCe!

BDU Interview with Cody "Codiesel" Yager

2009-06-13T11:13:00.000-04:00

Wassup people! This is Tha DawgFatha here with a good friend and fellow big dawg – Cody "Codiesel" Yager. I’ve known Cody for a few years and have seen him become a world champion powerlifter before he turned 21! Now, he has taken a new journey as he prepares for his first bout as a MMA fighter. Thanks for sitting down with me Cody.

Pleasure is all mine, DawgFatha

Tell the people a little about yourself.

Well, I was born on September 4, 1987. I currently live in Ridge Manor, FL, where I work as a Meat Associate for Wal-Mart. I stand 6’1" and weigh 320 lbs and currently dropping weight. I’ve been seriously training for about 9 years. I’m a single man and enjoying every minute of it. I like athletics more than anything, so I like to do as much as my body will allow me. Other than that, I like to read, meditate, and research things. I’m a Star Wars geek. I like the movies, the books, and I play the online, Star Wars game. I am just a simple person.

Wow…that is very eclectic. We need to get back on track. How did you get started in the iron game?

I started lifting with a couple of buddies in a backyard who had a little weight bench. I was twelve and super fat, and I remember I went home and was in so much pain. I was like "man, I don't think I'm going to do that again." Turns out I ended up loving it, but didn't get serious with all of it until I was about fifteen or sixteen.

What were some of the challenges you have faced to get where you are at today?

You know…everybody has a story and really it's not different from anyone else. In fact, I look at it as easy compared to a few people I know. Of course, there was a lot of family drama. Drug addiction has been a major problem in my family for years, and at one time, I was unemployed for about a year and a half, which put me in a deep depression. My family does not have a lot of money to begin with so I was pretty much confined to the house 24/7. One day I got tired of all the issues I was having and packed up and moved out of my house, and moved in with my best friend's and his dad, eventually got a full time job, went back to college and here I am, getting ready to start making another journey once again in my life.

Wow…truly inspiring. I know that you made a name for yourself as a powerlifter though setting a world record and winning a world championship. What made you switch from powerlifting to MMA?

That, right there, is the million dollar question, and I'm happy B.D.U is the FIRST to ask me this. The fact is even when I was competing in powerlifting, even before I started competitive powerlifting, I had always thought about picking it up, but growing up I did not have a lot of confidence so I just buried it deep in my mind. It's only been in the last couple of years I've gained confidence and that’s when I started making my thoughts public, and I've never felt better about myself and my resolve.

You’re welcome big dawg. We want the truth about everything. Moving on…you’re celebrating your birthday this year by competing in your first MMA fight. What are you doing to get ready for this bout?

Luckily enough, I have some great people working in my corner, in and out of the gym. My head coach, Joe "Formiga" Cortez out of Spring Hill, Florida and owner of Elite Vale Tudo in Brooksville, Florida has been instrumental in all of this. We go over a lot of things, of course, and sometimes the conditioning is brutal but it's something I have to appreciate. One word sums all of this up - CARDIO.

Take us through atypical week of training for you.

It can be rough, like I was saying. It's something I have to appreciate though. A lot of the time, I feel like I’m taking one big ass whopping but that’s not a bad thing. We go over a lot. I'm still, of course, a green horn to the fight game so I'm not going to get ahead of myself and say anything is at all a cake walk. Every little thing that you do can be, to an extent, painful.

Just hearing about that makes my body ache. Training for powerlifting and training for MMA are completely different but do you incorporate powerlifting techniques in your MMA training?

I lift weights still and I don’t see myself stopping but as far as doing a lot of powerlifting movements, no. Low reps are not the ticket anymore. Now I still love my squats and deadlifts and maybe sometimes I'll push it a little bit, but my primary focus is not on weights any longer, not for now anyways. Higher reps are what I do.

Who or what inspired you to become an MMA fighter?

Well, my grandfather back in the 1960s and 1970s was notorious for his street fighting, and still is to this day. I run across some old timers from time to time who had the pleasure of seeing my grandfather fight, so he inspires me some. My first MMA fight I ever got to see on TV was an Even Tanner fight (RIP). It was for the middleweight championship, which he won. Then, not too long after that, I discovered a man who sported a Mohawk, who in my opinion started the Mohawk movement back up, Chuck Liddell. He was a major influence to me, and still is, "washed up" or not, especially when he done away with Tito Ortiz the first time they fought. That fight became a classic, and that’s when Liddell qualified to me as a B.A.M.F.

You have accomplished plenty in your young career. What do you see as your greatest accomplishments?

A couple of powerlifting championships.

Well, I know your future will be full of great accomplishments. Where do you see yourself in the future?

I want to be the greatest athlete of all time, inspire the world, and experience things I never thought was possible. It would also be nice sometime in my career to get sponsored by Nike or Under Armour. Haha!

Ok…time for some fun! If you were in charge of the main event at the next UFC pay-per-view, who would be fighting?

I'd like to see Fedor Emelianenko and Brock Lesnar go at it. The world of UFC would not be ready for that. Dana White is wrong. Fedor is the greatest in the world.

Interesting. If Dana White told you that Brock Lesnar has challenged you to a fight, who would win?

Right now, Brock would stomp my ass but five of ten years down the road, I think the outcome would be different.

Brock, you better watch out! Everyone knows the reality show Ultimate Fighter. Would you ever audition for the show?

I would definitely try out, but I'm not on that level yet. Besides that, I will not be making any big moves or making any bold statements without the thoughts and blessings on my family and trainers.

Well, when you get on the show, I know I will be watching that season. With all the knowledge and experience you posses, what kind of advice can you give to someone that wants to get into MMA or powerlifting?

As far as MMA, expect to take a lot of pounding, even when you’re not training in the ring. The conditioning can be just as hard if not harder. If you expect to be Bruce Lee in six months, you will find yourself feeling stupid. It's like any other sport – there is a starting point, and there is a lot of drilling and technique involved. Powerlifting is really the same principle, just two completely different sports, I never got involved in sports just for the fun of it, so I don't know that aspect of the deal, but if you’re training to do something serious, all I can tell you is just be patient. The body will work with you if you work with it. I feel almost like a hypocrite for saying that because I'm real hard on myself and even when I'm injured, I feel restless as ever.

Yeah…you know us big dawgz can’t sit still for very long but we do have some time to enjoy some of our favorite activities. So what is your favorite:
◊ Movie
I'm a big fan of Schwarzenegger, action films, Star Wars, the Underworld series, science fiction and horror movies, 300, V for Vendetta, Fight Club, American History X, Shoot'em Up, Tomb Stone, Young Guns; I like a lot of westerns. This could be endless.
◊ Food
Momma's stuffed shells and home made bread.
◊ TV Show
Coach, Scrubs, House, Boxing, UFC, WEC, ESPN... and this is seldom, I don't watch TV a lot of the times. People are addicted to that crap.
◊ Athlete
Rocky Marciano, Mike Tyson, Bruce Lee, Fedor Emelianenko, Randy Couture, Brock Lesnar, Brian Urlacher, Jerome Bettis, and George Hurman Ruth.
◊ Sport
Fighting
◊ Musician
Metallica, Pantera, 2pac, and Mr.Biggs.
◊ Song to work out/fight to
There are so many.

Awesome! Well, I would like to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to sit down with me. Is there anyone you would like to thank or give a special shout out to?

First and foremost, I want to thank B.D.U. for this opportunity. Y'all are amazing, and I give you guys and gals a warm southern thank you. Also, all my supporters and haters. Either way, you all help inspire me to achieve greatness. I want to thank Joe Cortez and the rest of the EVT staff for being great coaches and mentors. If you have MySpace, please add them at www.myspace.com/evt_mma. I also want to thank these sponsors for their past help: HeadBlade, APT Pro Wrist Straps, Zupplements.com, Fitnessboard.net, Mind Over Matter Clothing, and King 9 clothing. Last, but not least, I mentioned these two men earlier on in the interview, but it would feel wrong if I did not show them gratitude - Bruce and Austin Crabtree, who live in the central Florida area, you both helped me through a dark time in my life, and when I felt lost and hopeless, you two were there. I owe you my life. I love y'all for everything, and thank you so much for your doing, you have given me a lot, and I'll acknowledge and appreciate that for the rest of my life.
Shout outs to Chase Bellinger, Chris Kazmierski, Marty Jordan, Hugo Campos Melara of the United States Marine Corps, Kaitlynn Clayton, Travis Germain, Anna Steen, A.J. Sailor, Justin Davis, The Pedemonti Family, Jessica Morman, Cousin Brent, and My baby brothers.

Well folks, there you have it. You can check Cody out on MySpace at www.myspace.com/yagerc. Keep watch on everything that is going on with BDU. You never know what could happen next!