Global Gossip

While  at the Mr. O expo I was at the Genr8 booth, which has the original Vitargo product from Sweden I had the chance to meet Jessie Godderz who you might have seen on the tv show Big Brother. Jessie is the youngest natural Pro Bodybuilder.  Jessie was covered up at the expo so I didn’t think too much about it but a few weeks later I had Jessie come to Golds Venice to shoot for my new web business and I have to say I was very impressed this guy is very professional and in great shape.  If he sticks with it then Im sure you’ll see alot more of him around.  Good luck Jessie!

If you ever happen to train here at Gold’s gym in Venice then you know there isn’t ever really a dull monement.  Just the other day Robert Reiff was shooting for Muscle Mag.  Along with Robert, Peter Mikhail and myself where shooting for a new web site that should be up and running towards the end of Dec called Instructionalfitness.com.  This new site will allow anyone for free to look up any exercise and also download it into Ipod.  The site has top fitness stars along with pro bodybuilders showing the audience how to do the exercises properly.  There will also be interviews with atheletes from different sports and last of all it will have both a gym and personal trainer locator.

While filming  for my new website business Instructionalfitness.com at Golds Venice last week I saw a massive guy training that I wasn’t sure who he was.  After walking over to him I was surprised to find it was none other than Omar Decker. Omar, who has been Pro now for a few years isn’t seen much at Golds even though he lives about 15 minutes away.  Omar is what you might call the working man pro.  After turning Pro Omar didn’t get a lot of sponshor’s so he has always done the sport on his own without help.  Anyone who has competed knows how hard that is, and even more so on a Pro level.

Omar is such a down to earth guy always polite and very giving of his time.  Omar told he how lucky he was to have the support of his wife and two daughters.  Never once did he speak of having to work a full time job, being a husband and father and the hardship of training twice a day for show’s without and financial help or support.  So keep your eyes open and you’ll see Omar up on stage again come 2009.

Living and training in Cali you see all the pros and last year was my first time to meet Mo who cracked the top 10 this year at the Olympia.  Along with Mo last week the new crowned Mr. O Dexter was here training.  This was my first time meeting Dexter and what a great guiy he is being very humble and down to earth.  Standing next to Dexter I was shocked to see he’s much bigger in person than on stage.  The question is can he keep the title now that he earned it?

This Nov 22 on Sat Promoter Guy Leong will host the 25 annual Paradise Cup bodybuilding contest.  This show is in Oahu Hawaii and is the biggest contest of the year.  They always fly in some gret guest poser’s and this year they will have IFBB Pros Branch Warren, Quincy Taylor and local Cliff Torres.  So if your in the Islands be sure to check this great show out.

This 2008 Mr. Hawaiian Islands contest had a new promotor this year, none other than the massive German IFBB Pro Gunter.  This seems just as Arnold himself has always sponshore the shold along with local promotor Mits.  This should being a National qualifer always has some great bodybuilders.  One I wanted to mention is Fran Sur who is from Hawaii but lives in Los Angeles and works as LAX Police Officer.  Fran contacted me about 6 weeks out so me and my training partner Armin Scholz could take a look at him.  Fran has great shape and good size so in time your bound to see alot more of him to come.

The fitness world lost one of its greatest assets on October 17th, 2008. The co-founder of the IFBB, Ben Weider, passed away this past Friday.  He was 85 years of age.

Many people know who Ben is, as he was a familiar face at many IFBB pro events, including the Olympia and the Arnold each year.  Ben, along with his brother Joe, started the IFBB over 50 years ago.

IFBB Icon Ben Weider: February 1, 1923 – October 17, 2008.

Read more about Ben Weider and his contributions here:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ben_weider_passes_away.htm

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ben_weider_passes_away2.htm

http://www.paperman.com/cgi-bin/services.cgi?f=ShowService&dbid=3035

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/benweiderpodcast.htm

http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-weider19-2008oct19,0,4877360.story

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Weider

http://www.getbig.com/articles/faq-wdr.htm

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=d35344d0-babf-4951-8e2e-d188f2d25117

http://www.ironmanmagazine.com/blogs/lonnie/?p=622

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/weiderhighlight.htm

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ben_weider_award.htm

http://www.hardbody.com/news/2008/10/18/rest-in-peace-ifbb-co-founder-ben-weider/

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/ben-weider-bodybuilding-pioneer-napoleonic/story.aspx?guid={52716CCA-64A3-424D-A98D-6B30DD9DEAAF}&dist=hppr

The source for Fitness and Figure news, Hardbody.com reports:
http://www.hardbody.com/news/2008/10/15/reality-cast-revealed/

Drum roll please…. Your cast for the upcoming fitness/figure reality show is…

• Jane Awad - Jane is a Canadian figure pro. She recently competed in the 2008 Olympia. Jane will also serve as co-executive producer and creative consultant for the show.

• Elaine Goodlad - Elaine is one of the top industry fitness models. She’s also one of the best at doing make-up for competitors. Currently residing in Las Vegas, NV but originally from Canada. Elaine is slated to compete next month.

• Jen Hendershott - Who doesn’t know Jen? This woman is everywhere these days. She’s the newest Fitness Olympia champ and runs her popular Phat Camps. Jen currently resides in North Carolina.

• Trish Warren - AKA “The Black Mamba” competed in the 2008 Fitness Olympia and is married to IFBB Pro Bodybuilder Branch Warren. Trish resides in Texas.

• Alicia Marie - One of the newest IFBB Figure pros, Alicia Marie is no stranger to the camera. She’s been linked to A-Rod and John Rocker. Alicia has also appeared on MTV a few times and is sponsored by BSN. She currently resides in Atlanta, GA.

• Jamie Ford - Jamie will be making her IFBB Figure debut next month in Sacramento. She’s recently divorced and used to go by the last name of Costa. Currently residing in Las Vegas, NV and going back to school for cosmetology.

The name of the show is yet to be determined. I’ll keep you posted with more info as it becomes available.

Pose Down would like to welcome Andy Haman aboard.
Funny thing happened at the Olympia this year. While covering the show an individual was giving out a  
poster promoting himself as an athlete. Much too our surprise it was Andy Hamam who did up a terrific poster introducing himself as one of our new column writers (See Below)

We welcome Andy to the Pose Down Family!

Pose Down also offers their deepest condolences to the family of Steven Stone.

The bodybuilding and figure world lost one of its greatest assets on September 26, 2008. The head expediter for the IFBB/NPC, Steve Stone, died suddenly prior to the finals for the 2008 Olympia.

Most people do not know who Steve was, but if you ever competed at the national or pro levels, you knew who made the shows run as smoothly as they did.

Show Expediter Steve Stone Passed Away 9/26/2008.

Read more about this tragedy here:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/steve_stone_death.htm

http://www.ifbbpro.com/news/steve-stone/

http://www.flexonline.com/steve_stone_obituary/news/582

One of the reasons Jen told us that she was doing the Olympia was for her step brother, Todd. She reminded me that life is short and you never know when your health may be stripped from you.

Todd was battling cancer and recently found out that his chemotherapy did not work. Earlier this week the doctors gave him 2 weeks to 2 months to live. Unfortunately, Todd passed away last night.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Jen and her family.

If you ever train late at night here at Gold’s Venice then your bound to see the massive Gary Strydom who trains from 9:00 pm till midnight about 6 or 7 days per week.  I had noticed that Gary wasn’t around so I gave him a call and was shocked to hear` that he’s in India for a appearance for an anti-aging company.  I think Gary is 49 this year but he’s now about 309lb and great shape.  I trained with Gary for several years and he’s the hardest training bodybuilder I’ve ever trained.  Chris Comier told me the same about Gary when he trained with him.  Who know’s maybe we’ll see him up on stage again next year.

Over the past year I have had the good luck of becoming friends with the beautiful and smart Mona Reyes.  Mona competes in the fitness division and ever show she enters it seems she has a hugh following of fans.  I had only talked to Mona by phone or e-mail so when at the expo with my good friend and National level bodybuilder Mongo Chang we ran into Mona.  Talk about great energy Mona is so full of life as well of being beautiful, great shape and very down to earth.  Mona wasn’t able to make it to the show as she was actually in Vegas to shoot some video’s for Jamo of My Fit Tribe which Mona is also very involved with.  If you ever run into Mona stop and say hello as she is a great spokesperson for the sport