Pre Show Preparation

Lets talk about the final preparation right before the show and weigh-ins. This is crunch time, and every second is crucial. After a few competitions every bodybuilder should have this part down. I personally make a check list and go thru it, making sure I have everything needed. Here's what my checklist looks like:

1. Lets start with the basics...posing trunks! Absolutely have to have these or you will be begging to use someones else's draws! Several years ago a guy in front of me showed up to the weigh-ins in joe boxer underwear. He rolled up the legs so they were tucked into the top and stepped onto the scale. The judge looked over and said "son are you ******* kidding me?! And gave him 10 minutes to find another suit but he couldn't so bye bye son. The moral of the story is always have a back up suit because you never know what could happen.

2. Your Music for the show. Once again always have a backup disc incase it breaks on the way or gets scratched. If not they will put whatever shitty music the dj grabs and you have to perform to it. Thank God this has never happened to me (knock on wood). That would suck.

3. Spray tanning appointment to get colored at the show. Unless you have your own tanning supplies and can do it yourself.

4. Sandals or flip flops.

5. Have food ready for the show. You need to carb up and have goodies to pump up back stage. I use Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, hamburgers, pizza, etc.

6. iPod. Definitely need this especially when there are 450 competitors in the show and I'm lying down on the floor for about 2-3 hrs before even going on. Sucks, so I need some form of entertainment.

7. SP are sheets to lie on in the hotel so you don't stain their sheets and then have to pay for them. Could be a very expensive lesson learned if you have a asshole manager at your hotel.

8. Make sure the hotel has a fridge in the room and microwave to cook in. I bring my rice cooker, George Foreman Grill, scale, measuring cup, etc.

9. Schedule of events so I don't miss weigh-ins or meetings and get disqualified. What a waste that would be huh?

10. Toiletries for after the show. I bring body cleanser, scrub, etc to clean myself off after winning the show and getting ready to fly home. Once again the tanning part is the nastiest part if you're not use to it. I don't rub my eyes, or sit down on the furniture because it will stain and smear all over on top of that nice sweat you incurred from the hard posing you just performed.

11. Pepto Bismol for after the show to ease my gut from eating everything in sight at an unbelievable rate. Last week I ate 3 double cheeseburgers, fries and a frosty for the ride home from FT Lauderdale and a lb and half of peanut M&M's. Later for dinner I had sushi and some chocolate chip ice cream to celebrate. Just one day and then it was right back to the diet for the Master's Nationals. My stomach swelled up like an Ethiopian child from those 10 cents a day commercials, who have nothing but rice in their little blown up bellies.

This should cover my final week and after show preparation list. I enjoy every moment and worked hard for that many weeks. I hope those of you out there competing do too. And remember...if it was easy everyone would do it! BUT THEY CANT!

Preview of the Southern States Competition

The Truth on Training for Shows

Hello again.

I've begun training for the Southern State and Masters National Bodybuilding Competitions in July. I train for 13 weeks straight, eating clean and training hard. You can follow my Countdown To Judgement Day Blog to watch my progress and see for yourself how its done. It's not easy and as we all know, if it was everyone would do it. So for now watch what I do and hopefully I'll inspire you to reach your goals. My goal is to get first place, yours may be to lose 40 lbs or gain 40 lbs and get jacked. Whatever is it we can do it together. I report my progress to you and you report to me. We talk about our struggles and in the end, come out on top.

Here's a pic of how I'm starting off.

Now watch and learn.

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The Truth on the Arnold Sports Festival & Expo 2011

If you've been living under a rock, Mr. Branch Warren took home the title this year.

Check out this video to hear my thoughts on this years Arnold Sports Festival & Expo.

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The Truth on Blood and Guts II

My original video about Blood and Guts was a hit on YouTube. If you haven't seen it...here it is:

If you enjoyed my commentary on that video check this one out. I discuss and newer Blood and Guts video also by Dorian Yates! Nothing but hardcore insanity...watch this to hear more: 

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The Truth on Full Arm Workout

Here is a kick ass bicep workout guaranteed to swell your pipes up quick and hard. This isnt for the weak so if you can't hang don't even try this. 


I use a preacher curl machine, remove the pin and place it into the 100lb slot and proceed to bang out 10 reps. If you have a partner it's his go and he will follow the same routine. After he is done jump back on now and set up 90lbs and proceed to do 10 reps as before. You will be screaming for help as you slowly proceed down the stack until you reach the 10lb mark. When you get done here you will remove the pin and bring it to the halfway point of the weight you started with (in this case 50 lbs) and rip through 15 reps to finish this grueling 15-20 minute straight pounding on your biceps. 


You have accomplished the first part now walk over to the dumbells and grab a 25lb weight and start doing concentration curls one arm at a time for 15 reps squeezing the bicep as you bring the dumbell up. Slowly lower it down and do this for 3 sets. All in all this should only take you about 40-45 minutes to do and your arms will be taxed. 


If you have the corage to do more, proceed over to the push down tricep machine. Just as you did your biceps pick a weight that you can handle for about 10 reps and start doing pushdowns with a mustache handled bar or v bar. When these reps are done let your partner do the same. If the weight you started with is 100 lbs move onto the 90 and so forth all the way down the line again until you finish the stack. 


At this point the pain will be incredible and so will the pump from all the blood being pushed into the front and back of the arm. Dont be alarmed its just your arms slowly tearing threw the skin casuing your arms to appear bigger than life, all the little boys and girls in the gym will slowly start to admire your guns as though you are a SUPERSTAR. 

The Truth On How To Grow

You have to constantly change up your workouts and weights all the time so your body doesn't become use to the exercise regiment you practice. If you keep it the same you may experience a plateau on what you are trying to achieve. 


Lets say for the last 4 weeks you have been doing the same old chest routine. You start with flat bench then go to the incline bench and then end with flys. If you continue this routine over and over the mind and body become complacent and don't work to the point of failure or push past that barrier needed to grow! 


Try doing this as an example to the above. Go to the flat bench and this time lets say instead of starting light and then working your way up to the heaviest you can do reverse the exercise! Start out heavy and then end off light with a crazy high repititions to push that blood up into the chest area. I guarantee that if you do this on and off a couple times your pump will be huge! 


Another way to overcome the plateau is by changing the rep sequence you're doing. Lets say you normally do repetitions of 8-10. This time do 15-18 and use a weight that you can handle. There is no need to be superman in the gym and barely push the weights up and instead your partner is doing back while spotting your dumb ass. (We will talk later about those damn asses I am referring to and who they are again later.) 


A 3rd way of doing these exercises but giving them a slight change is to do them in different sequnces each time you perform chest. This time you might start chest with flys, then do flat press, and finish with inclines. There is no golden rule written that you have to follow the same exercises each time to grow! I know a lot of people don't like change in their lives but in this instance it is a plus to do so! The mind and body are very powerful and we can overcome a lot of obstacles thrown their way, so you have to continue to challenge your mind and your body. THATS IF YOU WANT TO BE LIKE ME SOMEDAY OR ELSE YOU CAN STAY A P_ _ SY AND WEAR A SMALL TSHIRT!!



Tell me what you think on Facebook or leave me a comment right here on blogger. Let me know how you like to change it up and the success stories you may have pushing past a plateau. And if you know any of those dumb asses I was talking about, tell me about that too. 


The Truth

The Truth on The Arnold Classic 2011 Predictions

As everyone knows, I'm a huge fan of Arnold Schwarzenegger and respect him for paving the way for bodybuilders. He hosts the Arnold Sports Festival and Expo which always ends with one of my favorite competitions, The Arnold Classic. I go every year, check out some of my youtube videos for stories about the Arnold and who I've met over the years. But anyway, every year I like to make my predictions, as to who will when and how the top 6 place.

These were my predictions for the Arnold Classic 2011, which I also posted on my facebook page:
1. Victor Martinez
2. Branch Warren
3. Dexter Jackson
4. Ronnie Rockel
5. Evan Centropani
6. Dennis Wolf

The actual winners were as follows:
1. Branch Warren- Taking home a Grand Prize of $130,000 and the GLORY!
2. Dennis Wolf- Also got Most Entertaining Poses Award
3. Victor Martinez
4. Evan Centropani
5. Dexter Jackson
6. Ronnie Rockel

My picks were all over the board, but shit I had the right people just in the wrong place... As for, Branch, he is  well deserving and the hardest working guy in bodybuilding! I love him and am glad he won.

The Truth

The Truth on Why I Body Build

I would like to talk about the questions I get asked the most by most people I meet. They ask me, "Why do you lift weights and compete?", "Why do you torture yourself by not eating what you want?", "Do you make money doing this?". These are good questions but If I felt they were truely honest from the heart I wouldn't laugh about it! This is ignorance on most people asking becuase they are just being assholes about it and are lazy AND CANT TRAIN THEMSELVES. Here are the reasons why I am a body builder and what is a bodybuilder to me?

1. I train every morning at 5am religously becuase it starts my day off right and gets the blood flowing. Its kind of like brushing your teeth everyday, if you miss it your mouth smells like shit and you know its because you didnt brush! So needless to say I train everyday due to that energy flow needed that I get from doing this to start my day out!

2. I train hard and heavy with weights, due to that adrenalin rush I get when grabbing a 120lb dumbell and pressing it out for 10 or so reps knowing in my mind that I have just overcome something a lot of people can't do or will ever do!  That feeling of adrenalin allows me to release stress and aggravation from the day before at work, etc. I focus this anger and use it as motivation to push onward and channel this into a massive amount of strength towrd the weights!  Trust me you'll feel 100% better in the afternoon if you do this. This will also prevent you from going to jail if someone decides to cut you off while driving to work and you happen to spill coffee on yourself while driving. Take it from me, I am one of these people who in the past would have thrown my coffe cup at you if you cut me off and I caught up to you!

3. I dont train for money, prizes, or trophies! I train for the love of the sport and the overall feeling I get when I accomplish a show I have been training for. This sport is all about you and no one else. You can't blame your teammate if something goes wrong. If you loose, most of the time its due to you not being prepared. When you walk out onto that stage and look out into the crowd you can't hide behind anyone because its too late. Its you and the music and your mind! Be prepared to do battle. If you give it 100% you will be rewarded. Maybe not always 1st place but mentally you should be rewarded for the long hard road you have overcome. For everyone out there who reads this and knows what this feeling is, you are my brothers and to those that haven't taken this walk then you will never know this feeling.

4. I love this one: "How much do you bench?". I answer it with "I AM A BODYBUILDER NOT A WEIGHT LIFTER......duh!". Then I usually get looked at with a blank stare. Well I might lift weights but I use this to build a better body, kind of like a painter when he paints a picture. You will go sroke for stroke with a brush each time painting to get a better end result and piece of art. This is the same thing with weights, day by day as I get closer to the show date I bring a differnt approach each time, tightening the body up bringing out more vascularity and hardness. When the final day comes I look into the mirror and Bang! I have become a bodybuilder. And I do it with hard work and dedication not weights. 

5. "Why do you lift weights?" is another one.  I answer with "Why do you play golf?" or "...bowl?" or " ...play baseball?". Because I love too! Now stop asking me this shit! Especially from people who have known me for years! Yes the eating part sucks, but after the first 2 weeks down the hatch every sweet potato and chicken taste the same. Blah! But I tell myself the food is just for energy, not pleasure, and flip the gears on my mind. You will find as you go on, it will get a little easier. If not then you're a little girl and need to go play golf or tennis.

6. Not everyone can be a bodybuilder but EVERYONE can lift weights. I encourage you to do so, and exercise as much as possible. But for us bodybuilders, it's a world most will never understand.

The Truth

The Truth's Flex Pro Invitational Predictions for 2011

My top 5 predictions for the Flex Pro Invitational in Santa Monica, CA were:

1st Dexter Jackson 
2nd Dennis Wolf
3rd Evan Centopani
4th Ben White
5th Fouah Abiad


The Results were as follows:


1st Evan Centopani
2nd Dexter Jackson
3rd Fouad Abiad
4th Dennis Wolf
5th Ben Pakulski


It was an upset. Evan deserved it I just hope this doesn't put Dexter into retirement. Dexter in a hero and this guy came and crushed him. I want Dexter to keep going and win at the Arnold. 

The Truth's Top 10 Favorite Bodybuilders of All Time

1. The godfather of bringing that heavy grainy muscular look onto the stage that we weren’t use to seeing at that time and one of my idols...DORIAN YATES BLOOD AND GUTS VIDEO BABY WATCH IT!!! For all you pussies who think you’re hardcore, tune into this and you will really see hardcore training at its best!

2. Flex wheeler. You got to love Flex Wheelers overall physique he brought to the stage. His small waist and broad shoulders are one of the best ever in the business. I think he got robbed in I think it was 1996 against Coleman. But whatever he is still the man and is always a nice guy whenever we meet.

3. Kevin Levrone, another old time beast! Great shoulders and one of the best sets of arms in the business! Thumbs up to him coming out to Rage Against The Machine at the British Grand Prix bodybuilding show. (One of the greatest shows ever. Look it up on google and you will see why I say this.)

4. Lee priest. One for the short guys…like me. 504 lb. monster in his own time. Lee you were the best brother! Superman all the way!

5. ARNOLD. We all know why. If it weren’t for the Governor we probably wouldn’t be where we are today with the whole bodybuilding thing!! He is the real FATHER OF BODYBUILDING.

6. Ronnie Coleman. How can anyone argue about him. Ronnie was a monster, always trained hard and heavy and brought it to the stage each and every time.

7.  Jay Cutler, the Mr. Olympia at this time and deserves it. Jay is the poster child for the Mr. Olympia title and everything about it. Squeaky clean image and you couldn’t ask for a better spokesman for the sport.

8. One of my favorites Dexter Jackson. You got to love him. He has survived amongst the monsters with his razor hard physique and fitness for all these years. Dexter is a nice guy and I personally have had the pleasure of competing in his shows and won several times. He is a class act plus a local Florida guy. Thumbs up brother to you!

9. Lee Labrada. He was also a great inspiration to me at my early years due to his status in height but always brought that tight hard look with great tie-ins each and every time. Lee if there was a 202 class back in the day you would of been fine but when you had to face off against the like of Lee Haney, Mike Christian, etc. you were in the land of giants.

10. Branch Warren. Trains like a monster, eats like a monster and is veiny and vascular like no other. Plus he is one of the strongest bodybuilders you will ever see. How the hell a man rips not one tricep but two, off the bone and comes back stronger than before is beyond me!! How the hell did he do this!! Branch also plays some hardcore music to his routines on stage which kick ass.

The Truth on Arnold Schwarzenegger II

The Truth on Arnold Schwarzenegger

Out of respect for Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Arnold Sports Festival and Expo, this week blogs will be a tribute to him. Enjoy.

The Truth on Lou Ferrigno

The Truth on Bodybuilding Heros

The events and actions are real and aren’t make believe! Believe that!! I would like to start off with taking everyone back to my roots of Bodybuilding back when I was a little kid around the age of 16 or so, growing up in NY. My very first gym I trained at was a hardcore gym I think I mentioned before called Power Body And Fitness located about 1 hour outside the city in a small suburb called Beacon. This was the perfect hole in the wall where I learned everything about the art of bodybuilding and we had all kinds of guys training in there with me. Each year a bunch of us would take a train into the city to see the one time famous show thrown in New York City at the Beacon Hotel called The Night Of Champions. This was one of the greatest pro shows thrown at the time, where the likes of Rich Gaspari, Gary Strydom, Mike Ashley, Mike Chrisitianson and the great Lee Haney, etc. competed for a prize and the coveted title.

On the way to the show we would attend a seminar put on by the local World Gym in Westchester for a fee, which included guest speakers and an autograph picture session with some of our favorite bodybuilders at that time. They would discuss nutrition, weight lifting techniques and all that good stuff. One of my favorite guys was there with his girlfriend and I will never forget this moment I approached him and asked for a picture and autograph. I don’t know if he was carb depleted or just a dick but he kind of shunned me off and claimed he didn’t have time. WOW here is my idol and favorite bodybuilder at the time and he’s blowing me right out of the water (needless to say I won’t name him due to him owning a supplement company and I’m now friends with him) but damn he really deflated my bubble. So the smart ass that I am, I told him forget it (used different words I wont repeat) and pulled out my camera and thought of another great idea! I took a picture of his hot girlfriend’s GLUTEUS MAXIMAS area in her tight outfit. What the hell….that’s a better picture anyway, right? So I did it and got him fired up and he sure as hell paid attention to me then. He even tried to grab my camera from me as I hurried out the door of the gym and buddied up next to one of the local cops paid to do security at the event. Funny he couldn’t do shit as we flicked him off and jumped into the next cab to take us back to the train station and continue on our journey to the Night of Champions show, the next day!  What a story but needless to say he isn’t my favorite bodybuilder anymore to this day....

The Truth on the Jersey Shore

As you all know, I'm from up North and I know a thing or two about the Jersey Shore. Not like these clowns on TV.


Take a look at this video to get an idea of what I think about them. 

The Truth on Training with a Partner

Training with a partner, this is a giant step for mankind in the positive direction when training. If you have a good solid training partner then you have already gotten a step in the right direction! I can tell you this, when I was 16 years old, growing up in NY my kick ass partner for 2 years or so was a tuff nosed Irish, beer drinking, rugby player named Murph! Funny how many of us have a friend named Murph??? This guy was with me through thick and thin! In the rain, snow, sleet, etc. He never bailed! Every Sunday we would drag our asses into the Gym we trained at to do legs religiously. There were times we would puke due to the pain and weights we used back then. We would load the smith machine up on squats and it would bury us to the bottom and my partner would lift me back up and do it again!! These were the days of learning and establishing my presence in the gyms as a youngster growing up.

My point is that without this partner I wouldn't have been able to push myself to the point of no return without him. Your partner is an inspiration, an extension of you and your Passion for working out. If he isn’t like you, then you need to tell this P*ssy to take a hike! Your partner should be the guy who helps encourage you to push onward, not try to watch you fail and compete against you. To be there for you and vice versa. A soldier! IRON IS STRONG BUT YOU ARE STRONGER! Remember this mentally and you will win! (Mantal warfare is another topic we will discuss later.) I can’t tell you there is a disadvantage with having a partner unless he is weak and a basket case. All this will do is bring you down. If your partner is one of these pretty boy wannabe bodybuilders and always looking in the mirror to see if anyone is looking at him then ditch him! Unless you're a pretty boy Brad Pitt look alike too!

Do you guys have workout partners? Tell my why or why not. Tune in tomorrow for Truth Thursday!

The Truth

The Truth On My New Years Resolutions

I've been talking a lot about goals and resolutions for this new year, so I decided to make a few of my own and share them with you. 

1. Tell nothing but the brutal truth and nothing but the truth!

2. Take first in the Masters this year at the Southern States in my weight class. I places 2nd last year.

3. Place in the top 5 in the country at the Masters Nationals in my weight class. I placed 9th last year.

4. This one the bodybuilders will understand...I want to bring in my glute hamstring tie in so they are shredded when I turn around.

5. Help everyone understand that there is more to bodybuilding than just what they see in the magazines. That includes educating the masses with new ideas and training techiniques.

6. Advise my followers of the best way to use supplements;  which ones to take and when to use them, etc.

7. Once again shake Arnolds hand at the Arnold but this time not get smushed by his security team while doing so! (got mugged several years back trying to shake his hand at my booth.)

8. Train with the King of the hardcore Dorian Yates just once in my life time and listen to the legend himself.

9. Not lose anymore hair off my head from stress! haha

10. Stay physically and mentally strong no matter what I face ahead of me.


Lets rock this new year Truth Army!

The Truth and Rocky Balboa

Alright everyone! This is the moment you've all been waiting for! My special guest is none other than Rocky Balboa himself!

In all seriousness let me know what you want to read about so I can tailor my blogs toward my followers! Love hearing feedback whether is positive or negative! I'm Out!

HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

The Truth

The Truth on Creatine

Hello Again Truth Troops! Check out my YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/FinalWordOnFitness

Here's my blog for today:

Hope you enjoyed my video! There's more to come!

Don't forget to give me your feedback!

The Truth