2010 Iron Man Blog

The man behind Genr8 which is the company that has brought Vitargo here to the USA is none other than Anthony Almada.  If your not up to date with this man he was the inventor of creatine and then EAS which he sold to Bill Philips.  Anthony is full of information and willing to share it with anyone wanting to learn.  So needless to say he was busy all weekend answering questions about his new great product VitargoS2

The day after the 2009 Iron Man, Mark was doing a photo shoot here at Golds in Venice.  From a distance and as you get closer you can tell Mark has great shape and although he is not the biggest guy on stage, standing next to Mark, I’m 5′9 and 245 and Mark still looked rather massive to me. I told Mark that I thought he should have placed better the night before but with a disappointed look on his face mark said "I need to come in much tighter if Im going to do better."  For those who don’t know or haven’t had the privilege of meeting Mark Dugdale then your missing out as he is a very balanced person who runs his own company, is a husband, father of three daughters and a devoted christian. Welcome back on stage Mark.

After the Iron Man I went backstage to talk with a few of the competitors and saw Hide sitting down and when I walked up he was talking Japanese on the phone as he was talking to his family in Japan.  He said this being his first show back he was happy as he qualified for the Mr.O. "Now I just have to wait and see if I will get an invite to the Arnold as I have 6 weeks" Hide said.  When i told him he looked tired he said no he was just dehydrated.  Welcome back Hide

Since my training partner Armin Scholz has went back to Germany I started training with the other 300lb Germany Aiman.  Today while training legs I saw Hidea who is now a regular at Golds Venice.  Hidea I met last year when him, Silvio and myself went to a contest in Hawaii where they both guest posed at.  I really enjoyed traing and talking with Hidea while we were in Hawaii.  After that he was supposed to move to the US but then he had his problems with US customs.  Well that didn’t keep this champion down as now he’s back living in Cali and looks great.  Both him and Aiman are now training for the 2009 Ironman so turn up intensity as the Pro’s are coming back to Venice.

Im sat backstage with Troy Brown pumping up. At the moment he is here telling me he feels the prestige of a Pro Show is totally fulfilling his expectations. He is enjoying the debut in the USA, making his face and name known before the New York Pro. He hasnt spoken to fellow brit Eddie Abbew much, he feels that both are competing with him for top Brit. Brown ha taken a lot of positives from this show and will enjoy the coming improvments

I think you are right! Judging by the comparisons, Gustavo has it over Slivio. I personally wouldve liked to see it the other way around due the the water left in Badells legs.

Heath has it by a country mile and has the sharpest hams and glutes I have ever seen on a competitor. The added size went on all the right places and could be enough to take out the Arnold next week.

Mo was probably N# 3 on the shredded scale and will get a top 5 which will be great to see considering he has tried so many times in the past and failed.

So many guys were way off the mark - Toney Freeman, Henry and Harris are all people that will need to put some miles out on the treadmill prior to their next showing.

Watch out fro my report on BB.com in the next few mins

It’s been an eventful day 1 of the IRONMAN / FIT EXPO. Ron Avidan and I started the day off by visiting GOLD’s GYM VENICE where Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler was putting on a camp and sporting his MUSCLE TECH apparel. Jay was looking huge and lean. We did a video with Gold’s gym that you’ll see here later featuring them as the GYM OF THE MONTH. Lots of other industry people were seen in the gym before heading to the FIREHOUSE. We made the short walk over to the famous eatery and joined a number of people for lunch. The weather is absolutely perfect with temperatures in the upper-60s. Dining at the firehouse was Ron Avidan, Kris Gethin, Kevin Horton, Bob Chic, Lee Thompson, Dan Solomon, Larry Pepe and myself. A few people dined on the "Bob Bowl" but I opted for the bodybuilder’s breakfast which was 8 eggwhites, 3 whole grain pancakes and a buffalo patty. DELICIOUS! If you’re in Venice, definitely check out GOLD’s GYM and stop by the firehouse. Check out some of the video footage from the meal later here on bodybuilding.com.

Ron and I then made our way to the LA convention center to pick up Big Will from Bodybuilding.com. The traffic in LA blows goat balls to say the least. I could never live in LA but must admit the sunshine is nice. We picked up Will and headed to the host hotel where we saw a number of industry people checking in and heading over to the venue. The rooms are spacious and the internet speeds seem to be pretty decent. When you travel to a number of shows there are a few things that are important… A good internet connection, good water pressure in the shower and a comfortable bed. Everything else is pretty much eh, whatever. We grabbed our camera and video gear and headed over to the venue. The walk is only a couple of blocks from the hotel which is awesome.

The hall in which the EXPO is in is MASSIVE. There is an octagon set up, tons of booths, a stage where performances will be taking place and lots to do. There were tons of people through the halls and many booths said they already had to get more samples and supplies sent in for the rest of the weekend. The show venue for the IRONMAN looks like it will be pretty sweet with it’s signature stage lighting looking great. The show will be webcasted here on bodybuilding.com at 10 a.m.

The athlete weigh-in went pretty smoothly with Lonnie "the swami" Teper at the mic. Swami’s best line of the day came when Dave Palumbo chimed in from the audience and asked him, "What did I miss"? Lonnie responded with, "Your pro card." OUCH! The Swami showing no love to Jumbo Palumbo. A couple competitors rolled in late… Desmond Miller and Silvio Samuel. Silvio was sporting all white attire and looked like he had just gotten in from the Bahamas. Sil looked great from the preview he showed the crowd. Toney Freeman weighed in at the heaviest weight of 290lbs. Toney hasn’t shown anyone what he’s looking like and he could be dangerous. Phil Heath seemed tired and out of it, which means he’s ready to rumble and is in great condition. Ron, Kris, Will and I made our way around the expo and did a few interviews and took a number of photos.

When the day’s events were over we headed back to the hotel which was jam packed with people. Siren and Wolf from American Gladiators where in the hotel lobby. We had a WOLF OFF to see who had the best wolf cry and Valerie "siren" Waugaman had the best. Check out some of the videos we got from the hotel. Ron and I also learned that "The Experts" are HUGE in Japan. A big shout out to all our Japan fans! Lonnie, Ron and I made our way down to a dive restaurant called, "The Pantry" which had some awesome food. We interviewed a few guys from "MAX REP" who were delusional and picked King Kamali as their favorite to win the show. I’m not sure what these guys are smoking but holy smokes no chance. We did a few more video interviews in the restaurant and then proceeded back to the hotel. We managed to do an interview with a homeless man pushing a wheel-chair and when LT asked him who he had winning the IRONMAN he responded with, KING KAMALI. What the hell is going on with all the Kamali love? We ran into Dennis James who was comedic as always and a group of Japanese women thought LT was stalking them. Again more amusing videos will be posted.

I grabbed a drink with Bodybuilding.com’s man in the Advertising department, Paul and we chatted a little biz. It’s now 1:30am LA time and I need to hit the hay. It’s a big morning tomorrow and lots more to come here on bodybuilding.com. Thanks for checking out the site and check back for continual updates throughout the weekend.

"I excited and honored to announce my new endorsement deal with Cytodyne Technologies. Cytodyne has an impressive reputation as one of the best supplement companies in the industry. As of January 1st, 2008, I have been taking their flagship product Xenadrine to get me super shredded and the proof is in the picture. I am 1 week out from the 2008 Ironman Pro and in the best shape of my life…. Wait until I pull my water with TARAXATONE 2 days before the show… Crazy shredded baby!" - King Kamali

What do you think? Will King do any damage? Will he crack the top 10 in this lineup?

"1 week out from the 2008 Ironman Pro @ 264 lbs… KONICHIWA BITCHES!!" - King

Here’s a bold prediction. Phil Heath wins the IRONMAN. I’ve been fortunate enough to photograph Phil each week as he prepared for this show. Let me tell ya fans are going to FAAAAHREAAAK when they see how he looks. Simply SIC.

Check out my Predictions Article that was just posted:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2008ironman_prediction.htm

Several Bodybuilders I have spoken with today said they will give us access to their rooms the evening prior and the morning of the show. Rusty Jeffers, Will Harris, Troy Brown and possibly Armin Shultz have kindly invited us in to find out what goes on in the hours leading up to the show. Hopefully we will find out vast stratagies which can have them coming in peeled to the bone or as bloated as a blowfish.

What questions would you like asked?

AMERICAN GLADIATORS at The Los Angeles Fit Expo! Try-Outs and Appearances Scheduled!

American Gladiators at TheFitExpo
The AMERICAN GLADIATORS In Person
at The Los Angeles FitExpo on
SATURDAY and SUNDAY

Come and meet the stars of television’s hottest show, NBC’s smash hit THE AMERICAN GLADIATORS!

TEST YOURSELF BY TRYING OUT TO BECOME A CONTESTANT!

CONTESTANT TRY-OUTS 10AM TO 4PM SATURDAY AND SUNDAY at The Los Angeles FitExpo, HALL A Los Angeles Convention Center You must be a Los Angeles FitExpo ticket holder to try-out.

Click below for details, rules and regs and GOOD LUCK!

CLICK: NBC-AMERICAN GLADIATORS

NBC’s American Gladiators Storm The 2008 Los Angeles FitExpo™ Looking for Worthy Opponents for Season Two

(Los Angeles, Calif…January 31, 2008)  Tryouts for season two of NBC’s hit series, American Gladiators, will be held at California’s largest and best-known fitness event, The Los Angeles FitExpo, Saturday, February 16 and Sunday February 17 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, 1201 South Figueroa Street, West Hall A.  

“While our event attracts all levels of fitness enthusiasts from beginners to professionals, we certainly have our share of the world’s strongest, fastest and most competitive weekend warriors,” said Erin Ferries, Executive Director, The Los Angeles FitExpo. “American Gladiators’ focus on strength and health is right in line with the philosophy of FitExpo.  We look forward to seeing FitExpo attendees on the show next season!”

Several American Gladiators stars will appear at The Los Angeles FitExpo, signing autographs and speaking at the Expo seminar series. Confirmed to date are “Titan” Mike O’Hearn, “Mayhem” Romeo Williams and “Justice” Justice Smith.

To audition for American Gladiators, you must come in workout attire and appropriate footwear. You will be tested on your physical ability in areas such as strength, speed, balance and agility. It is suggested that you bring a workout towel and water as well as a non-returnable photo of yourself with a completed Application. Time is limited and there is no guarantee that everyone will be seen - so come early Tryouts will be held 10 AM – 4 PM Saturday and Sunday, February 16 & 17. American Gladiators audition application and other information can be found at www.nbc.com/casting

The Los Angeles FitExpo sponsors are Bodybuilding.com, Gaspari Nutrition, Iron Man, Home-Gym.com, Subway, GNC, Prolab, Muscle Milk, Flex, Muscle & Fitness and Con-Cret. Media sponsors include Musclemag, Oxygen Magazine, Powerlifting USA, NPC News, and LA Health News.

The Los Angeles FitExpo adult admission tickets are $10 per day or $20 for all three days. Children 12 years and under are $5 per day and under 6 are free. Tickets are available in advance through the FitExpo website, www.thefitexpo.com or at the door. Show hours are Friday, 3 – 7 PM, Saturday, 10 AM – 6 PM and Sunday, 10 AM – 5 PM. On Friday, students with ID are admitted free. Discount coupons are available at participating Los Angeles area Subway, GNC and 24 Hour Fitness locations. Plenty of parking is available. For more information on attending or exhibiting, call (818) 545-0290 or visit www.thefitexpo.com

About “American Gladiators”: Hulk Hogan (“Hogan Knows Best”) and Laila Ali (“Dancing with the Stars”) host "American Gladiators," the iconic competition series, which returns with a fresh modern reinvention for the 21st century. Using splashy twists including special effects, water skills and the latest technology, the classic games will be upgraded with even higher thrills, impact, energy and spectacle!

Celebrating the everyday, true American heroes — weekend warriors who excel and take pride in their physical fitness — 24 contenders will go up against the show’s Gladiators, charismatic and eclectic warriors — in the ultimate David & Goliath battle. As in MGM’s traditional "American Gladiators" franchise, everyday amateur athletes compete against the Gladiators in contests of physical strength and endurance. The series will include such classic events as Joust, The Wall, Hang Tough and the Eliminator along with two brand-new events including Earthquake and Hit & Run. The 12 new Gladiators (six men and six women) are action-adventure stars ready to takedown the everyday challengers with hard knocks and explosive attitudes.

Thanks,

Your friends at The Los Angeles FitExpo

Johnnie Jackson is looking pretty large at 245Ibs at the moment. His upper body is looking great but I havent seen his legs which are normally his thorn in the side.

His hard n heavy training has brought him great results but it also tore his achillies tendon. He has been working a lot with Milos for this preperation so maybe the prescribed giant sets will prove to be of help JOJ.

Kamali told me that he is currenty in the 270’s and will be a totally different animal coming in to this show. Again, another one of the newer student of the Milos camp, lets see if the King is going to bring what he has promised on many occasions before. He predicts that he will win this show no question.

This line up continues to get more and more impressive. Johnny Jackson has added his name to the competitor list. The top 10 for this show is going to be great!

I’m meeting up with Phil Heath for a new video series to be shown on FLEXONLINE.com. Stayed tuned for more updates and a glimpse of Heath’s productive off-season.

National Fitness Productions and Iron Man Magazine are proud to announce that the 2008 FitExpo, held February 15-17, will relocate to the world famous Los Angeles Convention Center to allow for continued growth both in the size and scope of the 4th year event event, which has become California’s largest and best known fitness weekend.

With the change in venue comes a new name for the weekend to reflect its location and premiere importance in the fitness field. The event will be known as The Los Angeles FitExpo. Now housed in Southern California’s most prestigious venue, The Los Angeles FitExpo will capitalize on its previous success and more fully present to the world the fact that Los Angeles is truly the center of fitness, health, diet, strength sport, and life extension. Erin Ferries, Executive Director of The Los Angeles FitExpo and John Balik of Iron Man Magazine stated, "We thank all of our previous sponsors, exhibitors and 12,000 attendees that made the 2007 event a cornerstone upon which we can now pump up 2008 to monstrous proportions."

Many of the world’s greatest bodybuilders will compete at the 19th annual Iron Man Pro, the biggest professional bodybuilding contest on the West Coast and the only pro show in Los Angeles, the mecca of the sport. A live webcast of the contest will be provided by Bodybuilding.com.

Other contests held during The Los Angles FitExpo 2008 include the NPC Women’s Figure Competition (the world’s loveliest & fittest women on-stage), the All-American Strongman Challenge (the world’s strongest men vie for $10,000 in cash prizes in a series of contests), the Fittest Couple Contest ($2500 and a national magazine photo layout go to the winners), the Scot Mendelson Bench Press Classic, the USPF American Cup Powerlifting, the Fit Expo Benchpress and Deadlift Challenge, and the MaxReps Competitions (offering attendees the chance to win cash in a series of strength competitions). The 2008 edition is also proud to welcome the premiere of new major events including EVOLUTION, a 15 MMA Cage Fight Card from Gladiator Challenge on Saturday night, The Operation Fitness “Teen Strength and Fitness Challenge”, and The Gracie FitExpo Nationals hosted by the legendary Gracie Family of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fame.

The Los Angeles FitExpo will feature over 200 Exhibits offering the latest in cutting edge fitness and health products and services. Vendors are coming from around the world to participate with tons of free samples and giveaways available. The Los Angeles FitExpo 2008 is also pleased to offerattendees a full array of complimentary seminars and demonstrations covering all aspects of fitness, health, strength sport, and nutrition.

From fitness pro to those just getting started: The Los Angeles FitExpo has it all. At $10 a day it is the best bargain around! CLICK HERE TO GO TO www.thefitexpo.com.

PUT YOUR PASSION TO WORK FOR YOU!

We’re looking for a marketing professional (one to two years experience) to join TheFitExpo team (and our parent company that runs all sorts of events nationwide). Candidates should be innovative, energetic and knowledgeable about on-line campaigns and street level promotions. Office is in Glendale, California and prospective applicants must live in the Los Angeles area. Benefits/pension, great place to work as company interacts with most Hollywood studios and fitness businesses. Send your resume to gary@thefitexpo.com.

TheFitExpo Weekend Pumps Up to The Los Angeles Convention Center in 2008

National Fitness Productions and Iron Man Magazine today announced that the 2008 FitExpo will relocate to The Los Angeles Convention  Center to continue to allow for growth both in the size and scope of the  event, which has become California’s largest and best known fitness weekend.  The 2008 dates will be February 15-17.

Erin Ferries of National Fitness Productions said "After four years of huge growing crowds and overlapping special events we really needed to go to a larger venue for our weekend. The move to The Los Angeles Convention Center allows us exactly what we need to expand and add additional programming and competitions."

John Balik of Iron Man Magazine noted "The Pasadena Center has been a gracious host for TheFitExpo these past four years. Judging by the overflowing crowds, particularly on Saturday, it’s been clear that Southern California fitness enthusiasts are looking to us to allow our sold out expo floor and stage  presentations to grow."

With the change in venue comes a new name for the weekend to reflect its location more accurately. The event will now be known as The Los Angeles FitExpo.

Many of the world’s greatest bodybuilders will compete at the 19th annual IRONMAN PRO, the biggest professional bodybuilding contest on the West Coast and the only pro show in Los Angeles, the mecca of the sport.

Other contests held at the Expo include the Gaspari Nutrition Women’s Figure Competition (the world’s loveliest & fittest women on-stage), the MET-Rx All American Strongman Challenge (the world’s strongest men vie for $10,000 in cash prizes in a series of contests), the Scot Mendelson Bench Press Classic, the NxLabs Fittest Couple Contest ($2500 and a national magazine photo layout go to the winners) and the VPX MaxReps Competitions (offering attendees the chance to win cash in a series of strength competitions).

The Los Angeles FitExpo will feature 200 Exhibits offering the latest in cutting edge fitness and health products and services. Vendors are coming from around the world to participate with tons of free samples and giveaways available.

Throughout the weekend attendees can take part in a full array of complimentary seminars and demonstrations covering all aspects of fitness and nutrition.