Speak it, believe it, achieve it!

Fred Orsag.

He was, if I recall correctly (and I probably don’t), my 7th grade Eastern World Cultures teacher. Definitely social studies, but I think it was EWC. Mr. Orsag was telling us the one day about a student who had a 15″ biceps.

Arm wrestling was big at that time in our school and the conversation was related to that in some way. Anyway, that was an impressive number to Mr. Orsag and so it stuck in my mind, too. Fifteen as a goal arm.

I started lifting and my stick arm (still sticks, though, eh?) were ten inches around hanging at my sides. Flexed it might have been wishing for 12. I forget. Probably blocked out that horrifying memory.

Finished back and biceps today, threw a set of triceps pushdowns in at the end, and then raced home to tape the (pop)guns.

Yes, that’s right. More than 30 years later and I’m still that kid with his first weight set.

And I don’t care. lol

My first book on the sport was Lou Ravelle’s Bodybuilding For Everyone. I still have that book. Have purchased it online more than once to replace a copy that was lost or misplaced. Bodybuilding IS for everyone. It’s especially for us skinny folk who want to put on some healthy weight.

So, yeah, I park the car and race inside. Yeah, I said 47 years old. Again, I don’t care. That kid is still alive and his arm measured fifteen inches today, pumped.

Actually, the left was 15 3/8″ and the right was 15 1/4″.

My goal is 16 inches.

…

Maybe in another 30 years.

What would you consider the Top 3 new features needed for Bodybuilding.com? I’ve heard there’s a lot in the pipeline. If you could help the decision makers prioritize the upgrades or possible new features, what would be those three things you would wish for?

Bob Cicherillo votes for…

more Webcasts, of course!

This thread has been closed. It was a Bodybuilding.com poll that I created to hold a hypothetical or “What if?” contest between two of my favorite bodybuilders - Big Ron Coleman and The Austrian Oak!

If I crossed the line in offering a link to the contest on another Web site then I apologize. I had created an Arnold versus Dorian thread with a poll that has so far been responded to by 357 participants!

My intent in creating the poll was to share the Rx Muscle online bodybuilding contest called the Megalympia. Dorian was beating my childhood hero and I thought immediately to “rally the troops” or “call in the cavalry!”

The BB.com thread was created (as I imagine was the assumed reason for the one thread’s closure) not to siphon off BB.com patrons as much as to “share the fun” of this imaginary bodybuilding “competition.”

Again, if I crossed the line then I do apologize. It’s difficult not to get in the spirit of comparing your heroes without wanting to share that enthusiasm. The first thread had an engaging conversation going on about a variety of thoughts related to Arnold and Dorian.

I was only hoping for the same or similar in the new thread.

I knew someone once who was absorbed by their back pain. You’d get on the phone with them and it was a nightmare after about 20 or 30 minutes of nothing but wah, wah, waaaaah!

I’m thinking "STFU, would you? I get it. Your back hurts." I’m not trying to paint myself as unsympathetic, but if that’s ALL a person has to offer or contribute or discuss then I’m just not interested in hearing about it.

That said, I’d like to use this blog not to cry on your shoulder but to release the minor aches and pains associated with… me. And, yes, to ask you to list your ailments as well in the comments section. Consider it a catharsis. Get it off your chest and then move on.

The Crybaby List
Lower back: Disks are slightly lowered according to a radiologist and my chiropractor. It’s normal or typical, but it still sucks occasionally.
Right wrist: I have to be careful of how I twist my wrist or there’s some pain. Wtf? Where did that come from? Probably from the new gadget I seem to be attached to, a BlackBerry. It’s a curse.
Right ankle: I was doing calf work on a seated machine in the fashion of Jay Cutler, bouncy, ballistic, and that apparently was a bad thing. lol My right ankle has some issues now. Could be from the calf work or it could just be old age.
Right shoulder: Went for an MRI. Nuthin’. Pain occasionally, but no tear. I was looking for a reason my bench sucks so badly but didn’t find it in some suspected rotator tear. Apparently, I’m just a sissy.
Right knee: Been icing it after most leg workouts. Nothing so bad, but, yeah.

So, that’s it for now. lmao Seems as if the right side of my body has said, “Oh, forget it, man! Would you just grab a cold one and RELAX?”

I’m not going to.

Who would you judge as the best bodybuilder between Big Ron and the Austrian Oak?

Yes, there are years between the two athletes and things have certainly changed from Arnold’s time to Ronnie’s, but let’s look at any contest that you may have attended in the past. What do the judges think some times? I’ve seen an upset more often than I’d like to remember. Why?

Is it a local favorite or did the judges see something that I didn’t? I’m sure that’s why they’re judges. They see things from a different perspective, right?

What do you see and who would you vote for?

Click to visit the Megalympia thread on Rx Muscle and VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE!

Please cast your vote in the Rx Muscle poll! Arnold Schwarzenegger needs your vote.

I posted a comment in the IFBB Pro Bodybuilding section of Bodybuiding.com’s Forums:

And he was! That’s changed at least temporarily.

This isn’t the first time and I’m certain it won’t be the last that these two bodybuilding icons will be compared, but the Megalympia contest being held on Rx Muscle is one of the most recent occurrences.

Interesting to read the reasons people give for their choices. Dorian’s mass versus Arnold’s classic appeal. Dorian’s incredible back and legs compared to Arnold’s remarkable pecs and arms.

I was a teenager around the time that Arnold was the dominant force in the sport and graduated high school when he made his Olympia comeback in 1980. So it should be no surprise that my bias would be towards Arnold in any Arnie vs. Shadow throw-down.

Who would you rather look like in his prime, Arnold or Dorian? And - more importantly - why?

Batman versus Superman, The Beatles versus The Rolling Stones, Fitty versus Eminem? Are these comparisons "stupid" or is it natural to measure your favorites against each other?

I posted a comment in the IFBB Pro Bodybuilding section of Bodybuiding.com’s Forums:

And he was! That’s changed at least temporarily.

This isn’t the first time and I’m certain it won’t be the last that these two bodybuilding icons will be compared, but the Megalympia contest being held on Rx Muscle is one of the most recent occurrences.

Interesting to read the reasons people give for their choices. Dorian’s mass versus Arnold’s classic appeal. Dorian’s incredible back and legs compared to Arnold’s remarkable pecs and arms.

I was a teenager around the time that Arnold was the dominant force in the sport and graduated high school when he made his Olympia comeback in 1980. So it should be no surprise that my bias would be towards Arnold in any Arnie vs. Shadow throw-down.

Who would you rather look like in his prime, Arnold or Dorian? And - more importantly - why?

Are you going? I have my GPS and am looking forward to attending!

TIMES:
Check In/Weigh in: 10:00 AM-11:30 AM

Pre-Judging: 1:00 PM

Finals: 1 hour after Pre-Judging

Over 10,000 Athletes Competing in SportsFest

Promoter and Master of Ceremonies will be Legendary Bodybuilder Bill Grant, Mr. America and Mr. World. Bill Grant appeared in the new release of “Pumping Iron” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and has also been featured in numerous movies, television shows and commercials.

Looking for some excitement on Saturday, July 18, 2009 then don’t miss this outdoor event. The 4th Annual Bill Grant Bodybuilding & Figure Classic will be staged outdoors to re-create the spirit of “old school” bodybuilding from the great days of Muscle Beach in Venice, California.  

Admission is FREE for all spectators. This event is part of the annual Lehigh Valley SportsFest, a 4-day total sports festival that draws more than 10,000 athletes, 150,000 spectators and includes over 40 athletic events. BE A PART OF IT!

In an effort to provide our athletes and sponsors with maximum publicity and exposure, The Bill Grant Classic national media coverage now includes Ironman, FLEX, MuscleMag, Muscular Development and Bodybuilding.com. We look forward to having you join us in our most successful event yet!

This event will be held at Cedar Beach Park, S. Ott Street at Hamilton Street in Allentown, Pennsylvania.  Registration will begin at 10:00 am, with prejudging starting at 1:00pm and Finals will begin 1 hour after prejudging. For more highlights and pics from last year’s event please visit www.billgrant.net/bgclassic.html. And for information of the SportsFest visit www.sportsfest.org.

For additional information about this event please contact info@billgrant.net.

Mr. America / Mr. World Bill Grant hits a double biceps!

eazy_mas’s 50th blog!