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VOLUME 31 NUMBER 8

TRAINING 30 BACK AND FORTH

WITH THE GIFT Phil Heath reveals his back-

burning techniques. ByGregMerritt

42 LEWIS LASHES LEGS

Flex Lewis demolishes legs, all without the help of one very revered exercise in the bodybuilding canon.

ByMichaelBerg

62 VOLUME TRAINING: OLD METHOD, NEW ANGLE

Blow it up with this modern-day twist on a timeless classic.

ByDavidSandler

86 H.U.G.E.: ISO-TENSION

How flexing between sets can enhance muscle growth.

ByGregMerritt

FEATURES 52 GENERATION IRON The conclusion of our behind-

the-scenes look at the bodybuilding docudrama.

ByDaveLee

78 SHATTERING THE COMPETITION

Mamdouh Big Ramy Elssbiay exploded into the IFBB Pro League. Who is he, and where did he come from?

ByRobbieDurand

100 BRITISH CHAMPIONSHIPS QUIZ

Test your knowledge of the British Championships with this brain workout.

ByJohnPlummer

108 AGE OF INTENSITY The training philosophies that

set Dorian Yates apart. ByJulianSchmidt

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10 Editorial Bodybuilding has changed forever. 12 Arnolds Page You should know squat! 14 Its Only My Opinion Cables, or barbells and

dumbbells? 16 Hard Times Olympia weekend million-dollar

milestone; and more! 26 Home Scene News and gossip from the UK. 72 Get Big Column How I started right but then

went wrong. 92 From the Trenches Expert advice for hardgainers. 118 Gym Bag Our usual mix, including training

tips, research, and more. 124 Advanced Nutrition The latest food and supplements

news.

128 Big Ass Mass Stay anabolic.

130 Lift Strong The 1-6 Principle.

132 Advanced Bodybuilding Dopamine: a dieters secret

weapon. 134 Hardcore Nutrition The calorie fallacy. 136 Ask the Guru Neil Hill answers your questions. 138 Only the Strong Building your lower back

strength. 156 Looking Back A look back at the career of the

legendary Albert Beckles. 164 ET Column Ex pro British bodybuilder

Ernie Taylor draws on his vast experience to answer your questions .

172 Under the Microscope We put Muscletech Nano Vapor

under the microscope. 176 The Shot Phil Heath

departments

weider athletes 140 Phil Heath 142 Mamdouh Elssbiay 144 Flex Lewis 146 Shawn Rhoden 147 Roelly Winklaar 148 Fouad Abiad 150 Michael Liberatore 152 Erik Fankhouser 153 Ben Pakulski 154 Kai Greene

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President, CeO, distributiOn serviCes, inC. John D. Swider

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Editorial articles relating to food supplementation and sports nutrition reproduced in this issue of FLEX are for information purposes only and are not intended to solicit or otherwise promote any commercialised product containing the mentioned supplements. FLEX is distributed on an international basis. To the extent permitted by law, Weider Publications LLC and its affiliates: Weider Publishing Ltd, Weider Publishing Italia Srl and Mediafit SARL,

do not accept liability for the effects of reported supplements or products, legal or illegal or any loss, injury or damage caused by their use. It is the respon-sibility of the individual to abide by the laws and dosage allowances specific to their country of residence. Always consult a doctor before commencing supplementation or changing dosages. Some supplements may not work effectively outside specific dosage ranges and may potentially cause harm if

taken in excess. Not all supplements, combinations of supplements, or dose ranges of supplements may be suitable, safe or effective for everybody.

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With this magazine due out two days before the British Champion-ships, thoughts are already

turning to the 2014 series of qualifiers, which get underway at the Stars of Tomorrow show at the Beck Theatre in Hayes, west London, on November 3rd.

Its been a wonderful year with more contests than ever, more competitors than ever and frequent full houses. Some promoters are looking for bigger venues. Others, who lived through the lean years that lasted from about 1990 to 2005, are wary of upsizing to expensive new buildings in case the sport collapses like it did 25 years ago.

But that wont happen. Bodybuilding has fundamentally changed. Back then it was all about freaky muscle. Now its about mainstream muscle as well, as displayed on this page by Ryan Terry.

Classic bodybuilding, mens physique, bodyfitness and bikini fitness are game changers. Theyve transformed the physiques on stage, the kind of people who want to compete and the atmosphere at shows.

Were now seeing more competitors from high street health clubs, such as Virgin Active, Bannatyne and Fitness First instead of just the old spit-and-sawdust gyms we know and love. The number of female athletes has increased dramatically. The growth in spin-off businesses, such as contest tanning, bikini manufacturing and posing workshops is evidence of a sport in rude health.

BY JOHN PLUMMER EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

BODYBUILDING HAS CHANGED FOREVER

Little has been lost but much has been gained. All the old body building categories still exist but the new ones give practically anyone the chance to get on stage if theyre up for the challenge of training to be in the best shape of their lives. In such body-conscious times, thats only going to appeal to more people.

If the United Kingdom Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation continues to seize the opportunity, and the introduc-tion of a new contest next summer suggests it is (see Home Scene), this might just be the beginning.

Bodybuilding has changed, mainly for the better. We will be changing too by including more coverage of these newer classes in 2013 as we strive to bring you Britains best bodies in all their forms.

In the meantime, get in the British Championships spirit by trying our quiz this month and look for our coverage of the big event, and many of the qualifiers, at flexonline.co.uk. FLEX

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Ask 100 bodybuilders which exercise theyd do if they could only do one, and 99 would

tell you the squatand the other one probably has chronic knee issues. Theres little doubt that the squat is the king of all exercises, because it adds mass to your thighs and glutes, as well as all over your body via a systemic response to this most difficult of exercises.

When I was competing, I would squat twice per week and go to more than 400 pounds for reps. I would often do my squats barefoot to grip the floor better with my toes, and my training partners Franco Columbu, Ken Waller, and Dave Draper wouldnt count a rep until my butt touched the back of my ankles. It was gruelling and in the end, quite frankly, I hated the exercise, but I knew that it was essential if I wanted to be the best bodybuilder on the planet.

If you want to be the best bodybuilder you can be, and you dont suffer from chronic knee or hip issues, then you should make the squat your best friendwhether you like it or not. Below, Ive compiled some tips to keep in mind the next time you climb under a bar.

Body alignment is key Ideally, your back should be as straight as possible, so that your rear end and the bar are almost in line with each other. Concentrating on keeping your chest out will help you keep your back flat. I also recommend incorporating front squats into your routine to focus in on the quads more than the glutes.

Tailor your stance to your goals Whether your feet should be spaced wide or closeda common squatting debatedepends on which area of the quads you want to focus on. A wider

stance hits the inside of the thighs more, whereas a narrower stance tends to target the outer quads.

Go down to just below parallel To develop strength throughout the entire range of motion, its important for your thighs to go just beyond parallel to the floor at the bottom of each rep. This is especially important for beginners who are establishing a training base. After youve become experienced, its OK occasionally to include half squats in your training to allow you to use heavier weight, which adds mass.

Drop the sets and reps for more mass If size is your goal, as it usually is with squats, you must train according to basic power principles: do fewer sets and reps with as heavy a weight you can handle, and take longer rest periods. That means three or four sets, four to eight reps, and around three minutes of rest between sets. On occasion, include higher-rep sets (1015) to add variety.

Switch to Smith If your lower back and/or knees bother you during barbell squatting, use a Smith machine instead. Thats what I did

later in my career and it took a lot of stress off of those vulnerable areas. Hack squats are another alternative that I found effectively target the outer thigh muscles.

Do supersets and compound sets In 1971, when I wanted to add more definition and separationnot to mention sheer sizeto my thighs, I got great results by doing compound sets of leg extensions followed by squats, as well as supersets of front squats and lying leg curls (for hamstrings). The burn was unbearable, but it worked! FLEX

YOU SHOULD KNOW SQUAT

BY ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Arnold Schwarzenegger shows Franco Columbu and Ken Waller that he does, indeed, know squat.

BY ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, EXECUTIVE EDITOR

12 FLEX

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COMMENT

BY chris lund photos BY chris lund

Many years ago I read an article written by Ivan Dunbar who was a top NABBA official from Ireland. Ivan would always

try his best to bring over the current, hottest physique sensations in the world so that his fellow countrymen could see them up close for themselves. He did this for many years and sometimes he would write about the experience in Health & Strength magazine. On this particular occasion he had pulled off a real winner. He had brought over Larry Scott, the first man to win the Mr Olympia. (Larry won it twice in 1965 and 1966 and then retired from bodybuilding.)

During the early part of the 1960s, Larry Scott was the undisputed king of bodybuilders and you were dazzled and truly inspired by the fantastic photographs and training articles about him in Joe Weiders Muscle Builder, the forerunner to FLEX. Larry trained at Vince Girondas gym in California using all kinds of specialised training equipment that we had never seen before. He even used a special biceps bench which was nicknamed after him, because he used it exclusively to build those amazing, fully rounded biceps (which we had also never seen before). This bench was called the Scott bench at first, but over the years it became known as the preacher bench.

Ivan wrote that he was surprised that on first sight, while fully dressed, Larry appeared smaller than he had anticipated. But he wasnt quite prepared for his next surprise. When he proudly showed Larry his gym, the two-time Mr Olympia from California just stared in unimpressed silence. Eventually he asked, But where are all the pulleys, and cables? I train using at least 12 different cable machines! Ah, replied Ivan, we are just a simple hardcore gym. Maybe a spot of hard work on the basic stuff will do you good! Mr Scott was not amused, and Ivan wrote that he would never

CABLES OR BARBELLS & DUMBELLS?

forget that look of disappointment on the face of the latest, greatest bodybuilder in the world.

To Larry Scotts credit, Ivan Dunbar concluded his article by saying that he was absolutely astounded when Scott posed that night on stage. Larry Scott, he wrote, was the best we had ever seen!

While its perfectly true that Larry Scott did use many different types of cable machines, its also true that he trained more intensely than any other bodybuilding champion during his era apart from Sergio Oliva, who used lots of heavy basic moves.

The cable movements, as well as the specialised training apparatus such as the Smith machine, wide-grip dipping bar and hack squat machine, were the influence of the infamous Vince Gironda, who would not allow regular squats to be done in his gym. In his opinion, squats widen the hips, and if I see anyone in the gym doing them, I will kick them out!

During the period that Larry Scott reigned as the greatest bodybuilder in the world, specialised training exercises began to evolve and gain popularity. Why kill yourself with regular squats, when you could have fun on the hack squat, leg press and thigh extension machines? Why do regular barbell curls when you could do cable curls and preacher curls? [Editors note: Larry Scotts biceps routine consisted of dumbbell preacher curls supersetted with barbell preacher curls, nonstop, six sets of six reps. He then finished off with six sets of reverse-grip preacher curls using an EZ curl bar. Larrys training was not exactly heavy duty, but he did lots of compound sets and trisets until he couldnt do another rep. He would then do half reps and burns to true muscular failure.]

Why do demanding sets of parallel dips and lying EZ triceps extensions when you could do pressdowns, one-arm pushdowns and leaning-

forward pulley triceps extensions (Scotts favourite triceps exercise)?

Why do heavy bentover rows and chins when youve got all those lat machines? Why bother with bench presses and dips when you could do Gironda-inspired, lightweight wide-grip bench presses to the neck as well as wide-grip parallel dips with your elbows kept out to the sides?

Heavy military presses and dumbbell presses were replaced with the Smith machine press, cable lateral raises and a unique two-dumbbell shoulder press that Larry Scott also became famous for. Instead of pushing the dumbbells straight up from your shoulders, you pushed them inwards until they were a few inches from the top of your head. Your arms remained bent throughout the entire movement, which meant that you eliminated the weaker triceps involvement. In other words, you failed because your deltoids gave out, not because your triceps did. This exercise became known as the Scott dumbbell press and later the Arnold dumbbell press.

So we dropped the heavy squats and replaced them with the hack machine and leg extension. We cut out the heavy bench presses and incline dumbbell presses, and did wide-grip bench press to the neck and cable crossovers. We dropped regular military presses and dumbbell presses and replaced them with the Scott dumbbell press and one-arm cable side laterals. We didnt do regular parallel dips and lying triceps extensions any more. Instead we did every form of cable triceps exercise we could think of. Heavy pyramid-style barbell and dumbbell curls were replaced by preacher curls and cable curls. Finally we even dumped bentover barbell rows and chins and replaced them with pulldowns and low lat pulley work.

The result was not as we expected. Muscles began to shrink on a weekly basis. And strength? That went down the pan as well. When we eventually went back to basic barbell and dumbbell exercises, we ached for a week but with time, our strength and muscular size came back!

See you next month,and keep training.

Chris Lund FlEX

14 FLEX

TONEY FREEMAN

15FLEX

16 FLEX

Joe Weiders Olympia Fitness and Performance Weekend has reached a milestone

correction, a million-dollar milestone. Yes, bodybuildings biggest weekend has hit the $1 million mark, making Olympia Weekends total prize money figure the richest in the industryby a country mile! Check out the increases in total prize

Mr. Olympia: $675,000

212 Showdown: $65,000

Ms. Olympia: $60,000

Fitness Olympia: $60,000

Figure Olympia: $60,000

Bikini Olympia: $40,000

Mens Physique

Showdown: $20,000

Womens Physique

Showdown: $20,000

Total: $1 million

TOTAL PRIZE MONEY

BREAKDOWN

money per division: Mr. Olympia (open men) has jumped to $675,000; the Olympia 212 Showdown has grown to $65,000; and the inaugural Olympia Mens and Womens Physique Showdowns kick in $20,000 apiece. Those figures combined with the other divisions add up to $1 million in total prize money.

For years, the goal was to reach $1 million by the 50th anniversary of Olympia

Weekend, which wouldve been in 2014. But thanks to the hard work and combined efforts of American Media Inc. and its CEO and chairman David J. Pecker, the

IFBB Profes-sional League

and its president

Jim Manion, Joe and Ben

Weiders lifelong dream has become reality

ahead of schedule. And lets not forget the folks who really made this possible: the fans.

Without the fans none of this wouldve happened, Manion said. Whether youre a fan who attends year after year, a fan who can make a special trip only once in a while, or a first-time fan, its because of your support of the event and the sport, that Olympia Weekend has been getting bigger every year, and I know that with all the exciting things happening in the industry, it will continue growing in the coming years. The skys the limit.

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18 FLEX

Photograph by ISAAC HINDS

HARDBODYCONFIDENTIAL

Haley DavisNPC bikini competitor

Photograph by ISAAC HINDSPhotograph by ISAAC HINDSPhotograph by

HaleyDavisNickname: The front desk guy at my gym calls me Guns.Favourite superhero: Captain Americagood looking, muscles, nice guy, a romantic lover, but he can still kick some ass!Favourite female athlete: Bikini Olympia champ Nathalia MeloMost annoying word or saying: Beast modeCoolest invention ever: Its a close tie between the ShamWow and the Shake WeightNumber of tattoos: Onethat you can see!Denim shorts: For the ladies ONLYHidden talents: I can do the wave with my tongue.

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RONNY ROCKEL 2014 COMEBACK

For 10 years Ronny Rockel has been one of the worlds top professional bodybuilders. He planned to have a break in 2013 but got talked into

competing early in the year, which proved to be a big mistake with so much going on in his life.

In June he opened his Rock Shop in Ulm, Germany. He was due to become a father in late October and he has been learning to adjust to life with diabetes.

But he isnt ready to retire. Rockel has been

busy bulking up with the intention of getting back on stage next year.

The German, who was Mr Europe in 2011, is one of the best bodybuilders of recent years so it will be great to see him competing again.

20 FLEX

Rhl RetuRns ...as an MC

Over the course of his IFBB pro career, which included 32 contests and first place at the 2002 Night of Champions, Markus Rhl evolved into the

epitome of gigantic muscle mass. Now retired, Rhl has found a new outlet for his energy as a contest MC.

To view the sport from a different perspective has been a lot of fun, he told FLEX. I hosted the EVLS Prague Pro and really enjoyed being the man behind the mic at FIBO along with Dennis James. All MC job offers are welcome!

He still looks pretty huge in his suit so how is his training going? Its been going well, he says. Ive been training five times a week but there will definitely be no comeback.

21FLEX

Your best body part? Hamstrings and glutes.

Cheesiest pickup line? Hi, you must be tired cause youve been running through my mind.

Are you a girly-girl or one of the guys?I'm definitely one of the guys. Im usually a girly-girl when Im competing because I get all dolled up, but I generally wear sweats, a T-shirt, and a cap. I told myself, For 2013, I'll be more of a girly-girl.

Three things you cant live without? My family, gym hat, and gym music

Most hardcore song on your playlist?Lil Waynes Days and Days, featuring 2 Chainz

Who inspires you? My partner-in-crime, Marco (Rivera, IFBB pro bodybuilder). I started competing because of him.

Whats your favourite thing about the fitness industry? All the people you get to meet. When they come up to you and say, Youre my biggest inspiration, that means a lot to me.

nicole adamo

Yeshaira robles

WEIDER fox

Age 33 HeigHT 5'2" WeigHT 112 lbs

Photograph by ISAAC HINDS

22 FLEX

Your best body part? Hamstrings and glutes.

Cheesiest pickup line?

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BSNONLINE.NET

Pro bodybuilding will return to Britain next year after a one-year absence.

Trade show Bodypower will host an IFBB-sanctioned contest in Birmingham on May 16th and 17th. There will be 212 lb, figure and wheelchair classes but not an open mens category. Prejudging will be staged at the expo on Friday but visitors will have to pay for tickets to see the finals on the Saturday.

Shawn Rhoden, Flex Lewis and Michelle Brannan were the winners when the pros last jousted in Britain in 2012 so its great to see a revival.

Britain has a strong line-up of 212-ers so there is a good chance of more home-grown success. Besides Lewis, guys like James Llewellin, Lee Powell and Anth Bailes could feature.

The figure show could attract top Brits Lynsey Beattie and Louise Kayim (formerly Rogers) and the wheelchair categorythe first

BODYPOWER PRO

ever to be staged in the UKshould see Dan Smith among the contenders.

Bodybuilding has always been big in the UK, said IFBB Professional League president Jim Manion. There has been a long history of great champions competing in England and next year the IFBB Pro League is proud to keep that tradition alive with the BodyPower Pro.

BodyPower chief executive Nick Orton added: The introduction of a pro show into the expo programme is fantastic news for our visitors.

Flex Lewis

Michelle Brannan

Shawn Rhoden

24 FLEX

big news, gossip and more

BY JOHN PLUMMER

2013 has been an up and down year for 212 lbs star Shaun Joseph- Tavernier, the man widely regarded

as Britains most exciting talent.Joseph-Tavernier, who was named Rookie

of the Year by FLEX after winning the 2011 Toronto Supershow and placing fifth at the Olympia, got married to Kelly in July and was eyeing a return to the pro scene next year. But his comeback plans were derailed in August when he suffered a recurrence of an abductor injury.

Joseph-Tavernier first tore his abductor just before the Olympia two years ago and couldnt train legs for the final eight weeks leading into the show. It continued to bug him and tore again in the summer. He now expects to be out of action for several months and will miss the BodyPower Pro in May.

It seems that Joseph-Tavernier, like fellow Brit Zack Khan, is going to have to do things the hard way by fighting back from injuries but hes far from downcast.

Ive just got married to my best friend and most beautiful wife and Im the happiest Ive ever been, he told FLEX. Im doing different things and enjoying life. When its time for me to be back on stage Im sure I will be.

SHAUNSETBACK

MAT

T MARSH

26 FLeX

An exciting new competition focusing primarily on mens physique and bikini fitness has

been added to the 2014 calendar. The IFBB Academy UK Summer Invitational

will offer winners the opportunity to represent the UK abroad at the Arnold Classic. Organised jointly by Sean OReilly, UKBFF education manager, and Bill Tierney, UKBFF president, the contest will be held at Brunel University in Uxbridge, West London on July 20th.

There will be two height classes for mens physique and bikini fitness but in a UK first, both categories will also have over-35 classes. There will still be three mens bodybuilding weight divisions but the emphasis on the less extreme

ClassesTeenage 1619BeginnersClassicBodyfitnessBikini under 163 cmBikini over 163 cmBikini over 35 yearsMens physique under 178 cmMens physique over 178 cmMens physique over 35 yearsMens bodybuilding under 80 kgMens bodybuilding under 90 kgMens bodybuilding over 90 kg

NEW CONTESTclasses reflects their growing popularity.

Sean is confident of attracting more than 100 competitors. Panthers Gym in Uxbridge, which he and wife Helen own, has become a hotbed of talent for bikini, bodyfitness, mens physique and classic bodybuilding competitors so there wont be any shortage of interest. Classic star Quiam Monzeer and bodyfitness champ Estzer Pati are among those who train there. Sean is also negotiat-ing for strongmen and powerlifting events to take place alongside the bodybuilding.

With so much happening, this event is likely to become the highlight of the summer muscle scene, which until recently was a quiet time for the sport.

Estzer Pati

Quiam Monzeer

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kevin HoR

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27FLEX

Did you know there are hundreds of photos from this years UKBFF competitions at flexonline.co.uk?

FLEX started providing free online coverage this year so you can catch up with all the action from the big events, whether its the super-heavyweights, bikini fitness or mens physique.

We attend most UKBFF qualifiers and usually post a report, results and galleries the

Fancy becoming a judge? The UKBFF is seeking new

ones and even plans to pay them for the first time.

Judges have traditionally offered their services on a

voluntary basis, although their travel expenses are paid. But the ever-expanding schedule

means there is a desperate need for new officials.

We are asking a lot of people to sit there all day and thats why

we want to pay them, says UKBFF president Bill Tierney. It wont be a fantastic wage but we will pay something.

Some countries have more than 200 judges to choose from but

the UK depends on just a couple of dozen to cover shows

from Portsmouth to Paisley.Anyone interested in having a go

will need to pass an interview then be a test judge for three

shows, during which they need to judge to within 70 per cent

accuracy of the panel.For more details contact the

UKBFF on 0151 9314090 or email

wanda@ukbff.co.uk

VISIT FLEXONLINE.CO.UK FOR CONTEST COVERAGE

WANTED:JUDGES

following morning. If you follow the UK FLEX Facebook page, we also post some results and pictures live from the shows.

Svajunas Tamulevicius, the phenomenal beginner who won the Kent Classic, and the bodyfitness top three at the East of England Championships are amongst the many photos you can see on the site, which is searchable via keywords. FLEX

(from left) Kinga Kubicka, Serene Husseini and Emma Williams

DARR

EN NiChOlhuRST

MATT MARShMATT MARSh

28 FLEX

BACK AND FORTH WITH

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by GreG Merrittphotographs by Pavel YthJall

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PHIL HEATHals his back-bu

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30 FLEX

000FLEX

32 FLEX

Phil Heath took the bodybuilding world by storm in 2005 and 2006. Yet, amid all the praise for his

various strengthsthose arms, those lines, those round muscle belliesthere was always some mention of his greatest weakness: Yeah, but can he ever get enough back size to win the Mr Olympia?

After all, the Sandow Society is the domain of Lee Haney, Dorian Yates, and Ronnie Coleman, who, by the end of 2005, had collectively won 22 of the 41 Olympias, largely because they possessed the three greatest

backs of their eras. Year after year, body-buildings ultimate title was decided when those in the Os first callout unfurled their rear-lat spreads and locked in their rear double biceps.

None of this was news to Heath. He heard Yeah, but over and over again. He knew all about the backs of Mr Os, including Jay Cutler, who, beginning in 2006, won four out of five Olympias with his hang-glider lats. So the Gift went about putting in the work needed to join them in the physique pantheon. The trans- formation of Heaths back from a weakness

to a strength has been one of the most dramatic alterations in bodybuilding history. When he won his first Sandow in 2011, the contest was decided the moment he crunched in his rear double biceps and gasps filled the Orleans Arena. And he hasnt rested on his laurels.

juST KEEP WORKING A typical Heath back workout begins with front pulldowns. The only question is what type of grip hell use on that particular day. I switch between parallel and underhand

Phil Heath took the bodybuilding backs of their eras. Year after year, body-

In the begInnIng, there

was always a yeah, but

000FLEX

with a fairly wide grip, he says. With these, I always focus on where my elbows are going as I pull them down. Thats the key to targeting your backpull with your elbows working like levers and bring them down to your sides. And really, Im just trying to get the blood flowing into my lats.

One way Heath enhances the pump is by maintaining a brisk pace. Usually on this workout I only rest about a minute to 75 seconds between sets because Im trying to get in a lot of stuff. With back, because its such a big body part, I want to just keep working and hit a lot of areas with different exercises.

A BETTER CONTRACTION Next up are barbell rows, which Heath tends to do underhand in the manner of Dorian Yates (six Sandows), but with his torso nearly parallel to the floor in the manner of Lee Haney (eight Sandows) and Ronnie Coleman (eight Sandows). The biggest thing about this is keeping your back flat, the Gift avers. A lot of guys end up going too heavy, and their chest ends up going up too high. What I try to do is go not quite 90 degrees [torso parallel to the floor] but damn close. You get a better contraction that way.

I want to maintain that constant tension, he adds. Youre going to have those sets where you just want to bang out 10 reps, but on this particular one its not about that. Its about being able to move the weight but squeeze your lower lats. Thats whats going to give you that really nice lower lat sweep. This is a density exercise. Every guy whos had a great back has done this, be it overhand or underhand. For me, underhand works better. Just be careful when going underhand that you dont go too heavy and pull with your biceps. You have to make sure youre always concentrating on your back working. A perfect way to do it is to watch yourself in the mirror to see your form.

FEEL THE STRETCH The next exercise is the high-pulley row, bringing the bar down at approximately a 45-degree angle. The biggest thing on this is to make sure you get a full stretch on the way

with a fairly wide grip, he says. With these,

You have to m

ake

sure Youre alw

aYs

concentrating

on

Your back wor

king.

tension, he adds. Youre going to have those sets where you just want to bang out 10 reps, but on this particular one its not about that. Its about being able to move the weight but squeeze your lower lats. Thats whats going

34 FLEX

After the high pulley rows Heath does either one-arm dumbbell rows or T-bar rows, typically alternating them each workout. He explains his technique with T-bar rows. I do these either from the floor or on one of the stations where your chest is supported. The key when doing them off the floor is to not let momentum take over. You dont want the weight to pull you down so you have to hump it up each time. Use a weight you can master, and then you can go heavier later, once youve got the form down. This is such an awesome movement, but you want to get quality reps to really pack on that density. The only way youre going to make T-bar rows work for you is to make sure youre controlling the weight. Id suggest you try to stay low the entire time.

up and a full contraction at the bottom. Dont just let gravity or momentum carry you along. Youre not trying to get pulled into position. You have to do the pulling. You need to feel the stretch. The stretch is a great way to learn how to open up your lats for a lat spread. And then I also like to hold contractions for at least a half-count. This is one of those exercises that youre definitely going to be feeling, especially after just doing rows.

CONTROL THE WEIGHTLook at Heaths back routine and you see mostly rows. He hits his back from a variety of angles, but more by pulling his elbows back than down, thus building the density that wins rear shots.

movement, but you want to get quality reps to really pack on that density. The only way youre going to make T-bar rows work for you is to make sure youre controlling the weight. Id suggest you try to stay low the entire time.

of angles, but more by pulling his elbows back than down, thus building the density that

If you cant stay low, then youre going too heavy and youre going to be yanking up the weight and not using your lats as much.

SLOW THINGS DOWN Near the end of his workout, Heath does low-cable rows, and he employs sevensthe FST-7 technique of doing (typically) seven sets with only 2030 seconds rest between sets. With these, you want to get a stretch just like youre rowing a boat. Its almost as if youre stretching to touch your toes. And then, as youre going back, youre doing that rowing motion, but you dont want to lean back too muchjust a little bit. This is definitely one where you want to maintain constant tension, really make sure your technique is good.

Slow thingS down,

and figure out how

to do the exerciSe correctly without

Straining yourSelf.

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36 FLEX

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BACK TALK The thing with back is, I dont think anyone is going to complain that a guys back is too big. Its like, your mid-back may be too big or your upper lats may be too small or there may be other problems with your back balance, but if you have a whole big-ass back, its going to be hard for a judge or anyone else to criticise your back. You never hear about anyone losing because their back was just too damn big.

BACK TALK The thing with back is, I dont think anyone is going to complain that a guys back is too big. Its like,

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38 FLEX

The thing is, youre not going to get a good pump if youre doing it wrong. This is true of any exercise. You might start sweating and feel like youre working, but youre only going to get a good pump if youre contracting the muscles. Slow things down, and figure out how to do the exercise correctly without straining yourself. When asked which handle he prefers on low-cable rows, the Gift replies, I use a V-handle most of the time, but you can also switch this one around and try it with a wider handle and different grips. I think thats what makes this exercise fun. There are a lot of ways you can modify it.

You learn fr

om those

whove gone

before

You, and then

You trY

it for Yoursel

f.

TRY NEW THINGS For his final back exercise, Heath delivers a surprise. Beginning this spring, he started adding pullovers to his repertoire. Many people do pullovers for chest, feeling this old-school lift stretches out the ribcage. In fact, its a better lat worker. I either do these with a dumbbell on a bench or I use a pullover machine, the Gift states. You can also do them with an overhead cable, but Ive been favouring the dumbbell or the machine. Im lucky enough to have one of those pullover machines in the gym where I train. The key with these is to pull with your

elbows and not your arms. You can really take your biceps out of these and just focus on your lats.

When told that a fellow member of the Sandow Society, Dorian Yates, favoured machine pullovers for his legendary lat width, Heath laughs, as hes already well aware of this. I steal everybodys stuff. I mean, thats what we gotta do. Thats what its all about. You learn from those whove gone before you, and then you try it for yourself. It may not work as well for your body, but you dont know unless you try. You cant be afraid to try new things.

40 FLEX

A REALLY GOOD SQUEEZE Whether to work traps with shoulders or back is one of the enduring debates of bodybuild-ing. Put Mr Olympia down decidedly in the traps-with-back camp. For him, shrugs with either dumbbells or a machine is the perfect way to cap off his back workout. I do higher reps on shrugs than most people, he explains. Its not about the weight for me. Instead, its about trying to get a really good squeeze. I notice a lot of guys go too fast when shrugging. Theyre just getting the weight up and down as fast as possible and missing the contraction and that time under tension. If you slow it down a little bit, its going to work your traps a lot harder, and thats what its all about.

YEAH, BUTIts a given that Phil Heath wont have the widest lats in bodybuilding, but width is limited by your DNA-determined structure. Heath is proof you can win rear comparisonseven among the likes of Jay Cutler, Kai Greene, and Shawn Rhodenwith density, separation, and head-to-foot muscle quality.

He did it in previous contests and eliminated his primary Yeah, but Yeah, but can he ever get enough back size to win the Mr Olympia? Now, the only question remaining about Phil Heath is: Yeah, but how long can he stay at the top of the bodybuilding world?

Yeah, but maybe we wont find out for many years to come. FLEX

HEATHS BACK AND TRAPS WORKOUTEXERCISE SETS REPS

Front Pulldown 34 1015

Underhand Barbell Row 34 1012

High-pulley Row 34 1012

T-bar Row 4 12

Seated Cable Row 7* 1012

Pullover 3 1520

Shrug 3 1520

*Sevens (FST-7 technique), 7 sets with 2030 sec. rest between sets.

HEATHS OLYMPIA TRAINING SPLIT

DAY 1 Quads (AM)Hamstrings, calves (PM)

DAY 2 Chest, triceps

DAY 3 Back, biceps

DAY 4 Quads (AM) Hamstrings, calves (PM)

DAY 5 Shoulders

DAY 6 Off

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42 FLEX

In this training seminar, Flex Lewis demolishes legs, all without the help of one very revered exercise in the bodybuilding canon

Ive never been a big squatter, to be honest, says Flex Lewis. Yes, the bodybuilder whose signature calling card is his giant-slaying quads and hamstringshe with thighs so dominant he had to essentially take a

year off training them hard not once in his career, but twice, to allow his upper body to catch updoesnt make much use of the so-called king of all exercises.

Blasphemous? In the circles Lewis used to run in, absolutely. After all, the Welsh-born 29-year-old forged his initial love of iron in the realm of powerlifting, where to speak ill of the revered squat is akin to treason.

Bodybuilding books and magazine articles are strewn with odes to the squat. Champions past and present swear by its muscle-swelling capabilities. Its been decreed that its improbable, and perhaps impossible, to build any truly awe- inspiring size in your lower body without it.

Yet Lewis isnt swayed. I did squat when I was a powerlifter, but I didnt see or feel any real benefit from them, he says, undeterred by his bold smite of the lifting gods. I know some people feel its the bread-and-butter exercise, but I think it has nothing on the leg press, to be honest. I feel leg presses offer more stabilitytheres just one way down, one way up, giving you focus and limiting your ability to cheat.

Some of the more offended gym rats, put off by such a squat slight, may stop reading right there. That would be a shame, because not only does Lewis have a lot of wisdom to shareincluding the blueprint to two epic fibre-splitting leg routinesbut also, he accomplishes something even more important: hes living proof that in bodybuilding, never blindly following the often-accepted mantras of the game is the surest way to reaching your ultimate potential.

LEWIS LASHES LEGS

43FLEX

Battle test

Leg extension StatS: 57 sets (23 warm-up and 34 working sets), 1525 reps, one- quarter to full stack

n Lewis take: I change my other exercises all the time, but I always do extensions first. During warm-ups, Ill always stretch in-between sets by placing one leg up behind me on a bench and squatting down.

n Do It Right: Lewis settles himself on the seat with the pads set to hit at the front of his ankles. Holding the handles at his sides, he chooses a mediocre weight to start, then pyramids up from there. I focus on the squeeze and full rotation from the bottom all the way to the top, he says. I hold the top for half a second, imagining myself onstage standing in front of the judges and squeezing my legs, showing the separation between each muscle group. As he lowers to the start, hes sure to never let the weight stack touch down for rest between reps.

n Intensity tip: Ill turn my feet in or out sometimes to get that extra contraction. Ill also sometimes get my training partner to help me do one or two negatives at the end of a sethell lend a finger to get the weight up as Im failing and Ill take it down slow.

n The consummate road warrior, Lewis has never been shy about flying off to meet his fans across the globe. Since last years Olympia, hes been to the Czech Republic, home to the U.K. for a short visit, then on to Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Slovakia, Denmark, Austria, and done tours of the U.S., including a West Coast, East Coast, and Texas swing.

The blessing of doing all this travellingit doesnt allow me to get too big, he says. Funny as that sounds, it keeps me in the range as much as it pisses me off. I might get up to about 240, lose six to eight pounds, put five pounds back onits a constant yo-yo. But then 15 weeks out from the show I set

up shop and stay home to prepare for the show, bringing my weight exactly to where I need to be.

In early July, Lewis was hunkered down in his new home base in Florida just outside of Boca Raton. Just a few weeks removed from hosting the NPC Flex Lewis Classic, a rapidly-grow-ing amateur event a show in its third year, now with 156 competi-tors across 14 divisions, itll be eligible to become a national qualifier for competitors next yearhe was switching gears. Next stop, the Olympia 212.

Lewis won the first 212 Showdown crown in 2012, beating 2008s inaugural winner of the 202 Showdown, David Henry,

no question a well-earned victory against a crowded and talented field.

But English, who three-peated from 2009 to 2011, and beat Lewis in a controversial decision that last yearafter Lewis had walked away from the prejudging rounds with the lead in handbowed out of the 2012 rendition, citing a partial patella tendon tear.

To Lewis, that meant unfinished business. I feel the main threat is probably going to come from David Henry, he said, in the run-up to the 2013 212 Showdown. But the guy I want onstage is Kevin English.

That wish, Lewis explained, is simply due to his fighters

44 FLEX

Leg PressStatS: 67 sets conventional stance, 3050 reps; 3 sets wide stance, 1520 reps

n Lewis take: As Ive said, I prefer the leg press over the squat. Ive built the legs I have today on the press.

n Do It Right: Lewis begins with four or five plates per side, sitting on the pad with his lower back firmly in contact with it. Extending his knees and releasing the supports, he lowers the sled as deeply as possible, bringing his knees towards his chest before explosively pressing it back up. The days of me trying to put every plate on the leg press are gone now, Im not trying to set a personal best, Lewis says. Coming from a powerlifting background, I have to segregate my mind-set of training super heavy. When Im in the thick of my offseason and not on the road, I may train more in that styleI feel like Im a strong bodybuilder for my chosen craftbut that isnt what I want to do most of the time. I enjoy reps, and I enjoy building the pump. For his wide-stance sets, hell put his feet out near the edge of the platform and come down to the point where his knees pass his ribcage and his lower back curls an inch or two off the pad.

n Intensity tip: As the weights increase from set to set, the rep range remains the same, but Ill make those reps harder by slowing down on the negative.

mentality. You want to beat the person that beat you, and Kevin took the title from me in 2011. I want to beat him now to have an ease in my mind. Its unresolved business that needs to be taken care of.

This is me speaking as an athlete, not as a disgruntled bodybuilder, he was quick to add. Were all friends, but this is business.

And how rests the head that wears the crown? Lewis admits the pressure is greater when youre the champ. I go to bed scared and wake up hungry, he says. Scared to lose the title, hungry enough to make sure its not going to happen.

NO HOLDS BARREDWhen it comes to leg training, Lewis may not squat, but he certainly doesnt back away from torturous, stomach-churning intensity. His quadriceps and hamstrings sessionsusually separated by a day, with the former taking up to 90 minutes to completeinclude all manner of overload

techniques, including partials, forced reps, rest-pause, and negatives.

I should probably start with a little history of my legs, Lewis says. When I was an under-21 junior bodybuilder competing in the U.K. and Europe, my legs overpowered my physique. Speaking to my coach, Neil Hill (who appears in these photos), I took a year off from training them. I just did some leg extensionsI ended up doing the same thing the year before last, too.

Now, however, he thinks his upper body has caught upmeaning the kid gloves are off, and he can train them again with fierce abandon. What I do now is the same system as what I did when I was a junior, splitting up my quads and my hamstrings to focus maximum intensity on each.

In this FLEX training seminar, Lewis walks us through each exercise he relies on these days for his Olympia prep, one by one, explaining how he performs each and sharing some of the wicked methods to his madness. You may not find the squat on this list, but no matteryoull still be gingerly limping out of the gym at the end if you follow Lewis lead.

45FLEX

StatS: 3 sets, 1520 reps per leg

n Lewis take: This exercise really finishes the jobthats it, mate. Call it a day.

n Do It Right: This move is similar to the quad stretches Lewis performs at the beginning of his workouts, but with one key difference: foot placement. Facing away from a flat bench a fair distance away, he places one leg up and back so that the top of his foot rests on the bench. Whats a fair distance? My mistake when I was first learning this exercise was that my front leg wasnt far enough away from the bench, he says. You have to put the leading leg far out and not keep it underneath your body. Itll be scary at first because its outside of your comfort zone. Usually when you squat, your legs are directly under your torso. But having it out ahead of you means you get a maximum stretch and drive on that working leg. From a standing position, youll bend your front knee as you drop your hips straight downyour lead knee should reach at least 90 degrees before reversing to a leg-straight position. Repeat for reps, then switch legs.

n Intensity tip: Although Lewis doesnt recommend doing so until youve mastered the form, you can hold a weight plate at your chest, or dumbbells at your side, for added resistance.

One-Leg Squat

LewIS QuaDRIcepS woRkout

eXeRcISe SetS RepS

Day 1

Leg Extension 34* 1525

Leg Press (conventional stance)

67 3050

Leg Press (wide stance) 3 1520

Sissy Squat 34 1520

One-leg Squat (off bench)

3 1520

* Plus 23 warm-up sets

46 FLEX

SiSSy SquatStatS: 34 sets, 1520 reps

n Lewis take: The sissy squat is a pretty difficult exercise to nail, but once youve got the motion going, it burns deep. Its an exercise that you probably will use every other workout once you learn it.

n Do It Right: Lewis has two different options to choose fromhe prefers the sissy squat station (as shown in the photo), but his coach, Neil Hill, introduced him to a free-standing alternative that does well in a pinch. Neil has me hold a weight plate or dumbbell with both hands, arms straight and 90 degrees from my body, he explains. I lean slightly back and squat down. The weight Im holding acts as a counterbalance. For the squat- apparatus-aided version, Lewis simply locks his legs into the supports and leans back while squatting as deep as he can go before bringing himself back upright.

n Intensity tip: Just drive hard from the bottom, through your legs, and push for failure. Rest for a breather at the top to get more total reps per set. This exercise is a mental test of will.

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StatS: 3 sets, all to failure

n Lewis take: This one is very difficult. One of the only bodybuilders Ive seen doing this was Alex Fedorov. Him being from Russia, me from Wales, it makes sense because we didnt have access to a lot of equipment over there. We had to make do, and create a lot of exercises out of the few machines we had.

n Do It Right: Facing away from the weight stack of a pulldown machine, Lewis clambers on so his shins are on the seat and his ankles are secured under the knee pads. Keeping his body straight from knees to head and folding his arms over his chest, he fully engages his hamstrings to support his body weight as he slowly leans forwards. Hell go down as far as he can before flexing both hams strongly to reverse the downward motion and bring him back upright. As he fatigues, hell put his hands in front of him for safety, and to sometimes give himself a push off the floor.

n Intensity tip: This exercise is intense enough without any tricks, Lewis says. However, he does suggest striving to better your personal best over the weeks and months. I remember clocking out once at 58 reps years agoI havent beaten that again. Now I can maybe get 30 or so.

Body-weight hamstring Curl KamiKazes

StatS: 67 sets (23 warm-ups and 4 working sets), 1015 reps plus partials and dropsets

n Lewis take: I change other exercises, but Ill do the lying leg curl to start off every single time. Its equivalent to me doing leg extensions every quad workout.

n Do It Right: Lewis lies on the machine after adjusting it so the footpads hit just behind his Achilles. He grasps the handles for stability, then curls both hamstrings powerfully, bringing his ankles to his glutes before returning to the start. Like with the leg extension, he doesnt allow the weight stack to touch down between reps. He pyramids the weight up on each successive set.

n Intensity tip: With lying leg curls, you can be as sadistic as you want, Lewis says ominously. For me, the first set could be to failure at 15 reps, then slip the pin to a heavier weight and do butterfly kicks, moving just an inch or so for 50 reps, keeping the tension on from the back of my knee to the bottom of my hamstring. The next set, Ill go for failure at 15 regular reps again, then drop the weight in half and fail again, then drop the weight slightly one more time and go to failure one more time. For the last set, Ill do maybe 10 conventional reps, using the whole stack or close to it, then drop the weight in half and do another 10, then drop one more time and go for 10. For those final 10, I may need to use rest-pause, basically finishing with four powerful singles. After that, Ill raise the weight to half to three-quarters of the stack and do 50 butterflies to finish off.

lying leg Curl LewIS HamStRIngS woRkout

eXeRCISe SetS RePS

Day 2

Lying Leg Curl 4* 1015 plus50 partials

Body-weight Hamstring Curl Kamikazes

3 To failure

One-leg Hamstring Curl

3 810 plus 4forced reps

* Plus 23 warm-up sets

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SnapShot James Flex lewisBirthplace: SwanseaBirthdate: Nov. 15, 1983Current Residence: FloridaHeight: 5'5"Weight: 212 pounds (contest); 230240 pounds (off-season)Career Highlights: 2007 British Championships overall (pro card); 2008 Europa Super Show 202, 1st; 2008 Tampa Bay Pro 202, 2nd; 2008 Olympia 202 Showdown, 3rd; 2009 Atlantic City Pro 202, 1st; 2009 Olympia 202 Showdown, 5th; 2011 New York Pro 202, 2nd; 2011 British Grand Prix 202, 1st; 2011 Olympia 202 Showdown, 2nd; 2012 British Grand Prix 212, 1st; 2012 Prague Pro Championships 212, 1st; 2012 Olympia 212 Showdown, 1st;Sponsors: Weider/AMI,Gaspari NutritionOnline: flexlewis.net;Twitter @Flex_Lewis

one-leg hamString Curlstats: 3 sets, 810 plus 34 forced reps

n lewis take: At this point, my hamstrings are fried, but Ill always do three more sets of something, like the one-leg curl.

n Do it Right: Settling into the apparatus, Lewis places his working leg so that the pad hits between his ankle and the bottom of his calf. Holding the handles with both hands to stabilise himself, he powerfully flexes his hamstrings to lift the weight, bringing it as high as he can go. On this exercise, Ill use a pretty light weight for most sets, he says. Im concentrating on squeezing the hamstring. I imagine myself in a back lat spread onstage, seeing the hamstring pop out for the judges.

n intensity tip: Instead of simply doing conventional sets, Lewis will vary the range of motion. During a rep, Ill hold it at three-quarters of the way up for a count, then continue to 90 degrees and hold it again. Then Ill lower it all the way back down. On the last one or two sets, after failure Ill do three or four forced reps if I have a partner. Flex

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by Dave Lee photographs by Chris sorenson/ The vLaDar Company

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The movies executive producers are Vladar Co. partner Edwin Meija,

Pumping Iron producer Jerome Gary, Damon Bingham, AMI chairman and

CEO David J. Pecker, and Jim Manion, NPC and IFBB Pro League president.

The conclusion of our behind-the-scenes look at the bodybuilding docudrama.

Last month we brought you the first part of our exclusive look at the making of Generation Iron, the feature film that takes viewers inside the sport of professional bodybuilding. Seven elite, professional body-

builders were captured on camera as they prepared for the 2012 Mr Olympia and the right to be named the greatest in the world. Now in part two, we continue our conversation with writer, director, and producer Vlad Yudin and the films breakout star, Mr Olympia Phil Heath.

TO SEE ThE TrAILErS, GO TO generation-iron.com

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FLEX: Judging from the photos, its clear that you had a sizeable crew on hand.VLAD YUDIN: Production quality was very important. Our goal was to make a monumental film that defined the sport as it is today. It had to have cinema quality, and to do that, you need the right team. We had 10 people, so we had the option of a smaller breakaway crew to follow the guys if necessary. Basically, we were with the athletes in some form or another at all times. At the Olympia, we had even more people. And everybody had worked on Hollywood films, so we had plenty of cinematic experience on the team.

You were at a couple of IFBB Pro League shows leading up to the Olympia, but what was it like being at the biggest event in the industry?That was my first Mr Olympia and it was a very cool experience. The Olympia is on a whole different level. The production value is enormous. It gives you a real sense of the scale of the contest and you can see why the athletes train so hard and make the sacrifice to be at this level. More than any other contest, you have to earn the right

to stand on that stage. The Olympia will always be No. 1, like the Oscars for the movie industry. They live for it because this is the absolute standard of excellence. You cant go any higher.

One of the interesting facets of all sports is the rivalry between athletes, especially at the pro level, with so much on the line.

Everybody has an opinion, and when opinions start to clash, that can add fun and excitement to the sport. And I found that there was no shortage of opinions between these guys. And its not like some amateur talking about Phil; these are guys that have competed against him, and in some cases, even beaten him before. Youll see that they were very open about sharing their opinions.

It was very important that the different personalities come through on-screen. Its a misconception that bodybuilders are machines who just lift weights. The film shows that they have emotions just like everybody and they go through their highs and lows. They have to deal with everyday life as theyre training for the contest. And with the seven guys, you have the full range of personalities. You have the

scientific, methodical type in Ben, and the blue-collar type in Branch. Kais introspective while Phil is outgoing. Just like their training styles are different in the gym, so is the way they are outside of the gym, in the way they deal with people and everything else. I really like that aspect of the film. Showing them not only as world- class bodybuilders, but as regular people with regular-people concerns and commitments.

Now lets skip over to Colorado, where you shot Phil Heath. This is an ensemble cast, but as the reigning champion, Phil certainly has a presence in the film, much like Arnold did in the original, as the man to beat and from the trailers, he definitely comes across that way.Phils a true champion. Hes achieved so much in a relatively

short period of time. If you want to be a successful bodybuilder you have to believe that youre the best. Thats where it all starts. If you dont believe it, no one else will. And the thing about that kind of belief is that you can tell if someone really believes in himself or is trying to convince others that he does. The way that champions look at things is different, and Phil has that. He has bigger goals. Hes not content with just being on top. He wants to make bodybuilding more exciting, make it bigger, and see it grow and attract more fans. Thats how the sport continues to get better, and Phil understands this because he has a good business sense. Yes, hes outspoken, but he has that right. Hes earned it. He has worked hard for everything he has and went straight to the top, and the rest of the guys are chasing him.

JuST lIKE THEIr TrAININg STYlES ArE dIffErENT IN THE gYM, SO IS THE WAY THEY ArE OuTSIdE Of THE gYM, IN THE WAY THEY dEAl WITH PEOPlE ANd EvErYTHINg ElSE. I rEAllY lIKE THAT ASPEcT Of THE fIlM. ShowINg them Not oNLY AS worLD-cLASS boDYbUILDerS, bUt AS regULAr peopLe wIth regULAr peopLe coNcerNS AND commItmeNtS.

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The dynamic beTween Phil and Kai is Powerful and iT creaTes Tension. whenever you have ThaT beTween Two driven individuals going for The same Thing, the stakes go higher and higher. thats exciting for the fans. and you need that tension to keep the narrative moving forwards.

Theres no denying that Phil is supremely confident as the worlds No. 1 bodybuilder. Last year was the first time he was on top, so its a little different defending your title as opposed to taking it from someone else. What struck you in the way he regarded the rest of the guys gunning for him?Phil realises that it comes with the territory. hes achieved something only 12 other bodybuilders have done since 1965. Thats a very select group of athletes for such a long period of time. and Phil is a student of the sport so he understands the significance of being in the position he is and why it means so much for the other guys to try to achieve it, too. hes very respectful of all the guys because hes been there himself, when someone else was on top and he was trying to be no. 1. and having come close, he knows the disappointment of not achieving your goal. but like he said, that only pushes you harder for the next time. he knows where the others are coming from. at the same time, hes very competitive. you dont get to that position

without that streak. its evident in the way he carries himself. The olympia is his and hell do whatever it takes to keep it. in his mind, no one is coming into his house to take what hes worked so long and hard for. i think he likes the challenge. Knowing that you beat the best to get where you are and now youre the best and everyone is trying to beat you, that is what motivates all great champions. at the same time, he does it all with a graceful style. his intensity in the gym is amazing, but somehow he makes it look easy. everything he does, from the training, the eating, and everything else is in preparation for this one moment and theres no hesitation or doubt that it will go exactly as he plans. and the way he interacts with people, hes very approachable. he makes others feel comfortable because hes very comfortable with himself. you cant help but come away thinking, yes, theres a reason why this guy is the best in the world and hes mr. olympia.

Much like the Arnold and Lou rivalry, theres a rivalry between Phil and Kai that seems to be one

of the driving forces in the film. This rivalry is for real. both are very successful but theyre very different. i dont want to give away too much, but you really see it in the movie. Their outlooks in the sport and life in general, even their appearancePhil with his shaved head and the clothes he wears and Kai with his braids and his trademark boots and all total opposites. The dynamic between the two is powerful and it creates tension. whenever you have that between two driven individuals going for the same thing, the stakes go higher and higher. Thats exciting for the fans. and you need that tension to keep the narrative moving forwards. it was really highlighted at the olympia when they went at it and they were the last two standing. The whole movie

captures the rivalries between all the guys. you have the back-and-forth between branch and ben, branch and dennis, and of course, the central rivalry between Phil and Kai. one guy knows hes being compared with this guy, and how does he stack up?

Finally, what is it that you want people to take away with them?The main question im trying to answer with this film is what is bodybuilding and who are bodybuilders? obviously its a sport, but its more than that. its a combination of sport, art, and science. its unique. its artistic expression using the human body. its competition. who are these guys and what motivates them to push the limits of what is physically possible? The film will deliver that answer.

SEIZING THE MOMENT Phil Heath on turning his second Mr Olympia win into a history-defining moment

You dont see a lot of bodYbuilders smile or tell jokes. theYre all super-serious. but how are you going to interest people if all you are is a big dude who just grunts, lifts weights, and scowls all the time?

FLEX: What was your first exposure to Pumping Iron and what was your impression of the movie?phil heath: i believe it was the first couple of months of being a bodybuilder, and i can definitely say it was very entertaining. of course, i knew arnold was going to win, but it was how he did it that impressed me.

How specifically?the way he toyed with everyone showed how supremely confident he was. and you could see that the other guys were definitely chasing him. You could even sense a little envy or jealousy because of all the things that joe (Weider) was bringing to his table, as far as appearances and all the notoriety, which is to be expected given that he was a five-time mr olympia at the time and rightfully deserving of all the spoils. but more than all of that, it was the balance he showed in his life. he had more balance than anyone else in the movie. he was doing his thing at muscle beach and Golds, eating,

doing photo shoots, chasing chicks, living the lifestyle, and all that stuff. then you had lou ferrigno training in the dungeon with his dad. that was all he was concerned with, almost to the point of being narcissistic. i didnt relate to that. i didnt think to myself, thats how i want to be. no disrespect to lou, but i wanted to be like arnold. i wanted to be the guy that people are painting pictures about; the guy having fun and enjoying everything that came with being the absolute best. everywhere he went people were falling at his feet. i mean, im sure he had his haters, as everyone does, but he was respected. i can relate to that, especially now because im dealing with it myself. i have a lot of fans, but i also have a lot of competitors and people who dont like who i am and what im about. but at the end of the night, he stomped on these guys and he did it with a smile on his face. You couldnt say that he wasnt good and didnt deserve it because he was obviously very focused, but

not with this crazy do-or-die attitude like theres nothing else in the world. You see him training his ass off and the next minute hes telling jokes. thats how i am. i can turn it on and be as hardcore as the next guy but i can also make people laugh and have fun with it. You dont see a lot of bodybuilders smile or tell jokes. theyre all super-serious. but how are you going to interest people if all you are is a big dude who just grunts, lifts weights, and scowls all the time?

How did you become involved with Generation Iron?robin Chang (of ami) told me there was a potential re-telling of Pumping Iron, a movie that would pick up where the original left off, and i thought, Gosh, if that really

does come to fruition id love to be a part of it. it would be an honour. then when i actually talked to the Vladar Company guys, they gave me an idea of what their vision was. You have to realise that bodybuilders get offers for movies or tV, but then were not treated with respect. its usually done as a mockery or to make us look stupid. they didnt come off like that at all. they were for real. and it was their attitude and enthusiasm for the sport that sealed the deal.

Were there any concerns that this might affect your ability to defend the Mr Olympia?initially it raised some questions, but more so for hany [rambod, heaths trainer/nutritionist] than it did for me.

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I realISed that I needed to remInd them how good I really am, I needed to remInd the world. I vIewed It aS an aweSome opportunIty to have my olympIa wIn on fIlm.

I actually saw it as an opportunity. Because I knew I was going to be a part of history, I was going to lift heavier and be more intense. I figured it was going to help me mentally, physically, and emotionally to turn it up a notch. Getting ready, you know the other guys are talking trash and they were kind enough to share some of that with me, so I realised that I needed to remind them how good I really am, I needed to remind the world. I viewed it as an awesome opportunity to have my olympia win on film.

one of the things I noticed about our sport compared to others is that were so afraid to fall on our faces that we dont take chances and come right out and say that we expect to win. If

you look at the Super Bowl, both teams have champagne in their locker rooms, hats and shirts with Super Bowl Champs printed on them because they expect to win, even though only one of those teams will go home with the trophy. But an athlete doesnt go into a contest not believing that he can win. at least I dont. I expected to win. I had every intention of winning. thats why I worked so hard for it. I wanted to be in the history books again. you have to step up in those moments and have the confidence to show the world that you believe in yourself. It was a chance to put my legacy on film.

And what about the film crew? Youve done a lot of training

videos but what was it like being on a real movie set for the first time?It was a trip at first. I had an 11-man posse and an rv parked outside my house. the neighbours thought I was doing a reality-tv show. thats when it hit me that this was real and it made me very excited for the whole thing. But I was pretty comfortable in front of all the cameras. one of the things that sticks out, and I hope they show it, was that I was making vlad laugh so much that hed have to re-shoot and tell me to say the same things.

one night, we were at the gym shooting a workout, and the next thing you know, theres a big-ass bus, and out come all these Japanese people. and it was just like the scene where arnold is in the prison posing, but this time its at the gym and Im training. I was surrounded. people clicking away and every time I finished a set they would applaud. It was crazy!

You said before that having the cameras there helped you. Can you explain that?anytime you have cameras in front of you, its a reminder to not screw around. Its extra motivation. you think about how you want to be remembered on film because thousands of people are going to be watching it and its for ever. lets face it, shooting free throws in your backyard is different from doing it in a high-pressure situation in front of 20,000 people. But I have experience with that from my basketball days, and others who arent used to performing in front of a crowd might not shine in that moment. I mean, bodybuilders by definition are introverted. they dont want the attention, but on the other hand they do want it because theyre working so hard to build their physiques and they want to be recognised for it. Its funny because you see guys trying to copy my swagger onstage, trying to pump up the crowd and all, but the reaction isnt the same

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We do it every day, not With fads or gimmicks, but With fundamental diets and training programmes It would be great for the general PublIc to realIse that they can do It, too.

because you can tell theyre not comfortable doing it. Its like when a rapper tries to raise the roof and the crowd doesnt respond. then you get another guy who just says a couple of lyrics, and the crowd stands up, and the place is jumping. Its just like acting. you can read the script, but if you want to nail it like an oscar-winning actor, you have to own it. charisma comes from within. you cant fake it. that comes from being in tune with who you are and what youre trying to represent. for me, I just love people and it comes out in the way I do things. and I realise that being in my position, all eyes are on me. theres always someone watching, so you give it your best shot. I know guys are taking notes on my workouts at the gym or snapping photos when my back is turned, and they dont think I

notice. but hey, theres a picture of me training five minutes later online. as a bodybuilder, thats what I signed up for. were judged onstage and everywhere we go. you have to be a strong-minded person to handle that. People can think they are, but until they walk in those shoes, theyre not battle-tested.

You saw the trailer for the first time last year during the contest. What did you think of it or were you too focused on the show to really have an opinion?I thought, holy shit! this is crazy. I said to myself, I gotta win this contest tonight. and the best part is that moving forwards into this years o, all the guys who talked trash in Generation Iron are going to have to watch that movie, and watch me win. [Laughs]

What do you want people to think about bodybuilding and bodybuilders after watching this movie?I want them to get an honest look at the sport. If I could ask each person to write down their top 10 impressions of bodybuilding before they see the movie and then another list of 10 things after watching it, Id hope that their stereotypes would be gone and that those 10 new things would be positive. each and every one of us puts a ton of effort into this. the movie will show what we go through and that were professional athletes with a great perspective on the world of health and fitness. we do it every day, not with fads or gimmicks, but with fundamental diets and training programmes that actually help us lose fat while gaining muscle. It would be great for the general public to realise that they can do it, too. you dont have to be Mr olympia or a professional bodybuilder to excel at this sport and use it to improve your current situation.

and for those guys who do want to be Mr olympia one day, they can say, I dont have to be a basketball player, I can be a bodybuilder like Phil heath. lets be honest, most kids want to play pro sports for fame and money. and this movie is making me look like the biggest basketball player there is, which Im not, but bodybuilding has given me a very comfortable lifestyle. Parents can see that here is an educated family man who works hard and is a decent role model. Mr olympia can be a role model who can motivate you to do better things. I want them to learn something new. the next time they see a bodybuilder, especially a pro who makes his living in this sport, maybe instead of sneering or making backhand-ed compliments, they can look at that person and say, I admire your work, that takes a lot of dedication. fleX

Watch out for updates on the international release dates for the movie and the DVD of Generation Iron

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Blow it up with this modern-day twist on a timeless classic by DaviD SanDler62 FLEX

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programmes of yesteryear, but wh