Mens health

We lost a historic figure in the bodybuilding world when Gene Mozee died in Santa Monica on July 4th, age 82, as a result of heart disease. Gene had been in failing health for quite some time. But, thankfully, before he passed, he went to his archives and retrieved some of his most iconic photos for me to scan and digitize.

Some of the best were of Arnold Schwarzenegger, whom Gene met when they were both training at Vince Gironda’s gym right after Joe Weider brought Arnold to the U.S. and began promoting him in Muscle Builder magazine.

The legendary John Grimek said Gene was “the first and best bodybuilding photojournalist.” According to the Iron Guru website, Vince Gironda, himself a legend, called Gene a “walking bodybuilding encyclopedia.” As a prolific sports photographer and writer, Gene’s photos constitute a vivid record of the earlier days of modern bodybuilding.

Gene’s interest … Read the rest

When Frank Zane won his Mr. Olympia titles, there were weight divisions in pro bodybuilding for men. In the 1980s and 1990s, when Shawn Ray was at his peak, there were none. As muscular as he was, Shawn was not a big man so he had to compete against heavyweights like Lee Haney. So, he won the Arnold Classic, but finished no higher than second at the Olympia.

But, pound-for-pound, I always thought Shawn was a good as anyone. And his physique was incredibly aesthetic.

He was such a good bodybuilder, in part, because of superior genetics. But a lot of his success was due to his own efforts. For example, his knowledge of training and his diligent application of what he knew. I either watched most of the top bodybuilders of the 1980s as they trained, or photographed them in the gym. In most cases, I could make at … Read the rest

A photographer friend of mine told me about Lenda Murray and when I met her at a contest I was impressed and invited her to Los Angeles for a photoshoot for the Weider magazines. I think I began to realize how good she was when we were shooting at Gold’s Gym in Venice. Lenda was sitting on a bench, and her hamstring was hanging down with a pronounced curve I had never seen on a female bodybuilder.

Back in the 1980s, Cory Everson was the state-of-the-art female bodybuilder. Cory was tall, athletic, big, and beautiful but she never had the kind of muscularity and definition we generally associate with bodybuilding.

That was not the case with Lenda. She was muscular, defined, and had a level of symmetry and proportion that set new standards in the sport.

This is why I called the article about Lenda “The Shape of Things to … Read the rest

Frank Zane began competing in 1961 and continued for more than 20 years, most of the time highly successful, so toward the end of his competitive career he was one of the most experienced bodybuilders out there.

It’s been pointed out that there is a big difference between having 20 years of experience and having one year of experience 20 times. That is, some people learn from experience and some don’t. Zane is someone who learns from experience.

A great example of this came at the 1979 Mr. Olympia, my first time seeing Zane at the annual contest. This particular event probably taught me more about bodybuilding than any other contest I’ve ever attended.

This was the last Mr. Olympia in which there were two weight divisions, so the competitors had to weigh in backstage. Most bodybuilders seemed reluctant to strip off their sweats and show their … Read the rest

Kamal Elgargni hasn’t been in the 212 bodybuilding scene for too long, but he’s already managed to make quite an impact on the division. At his 212 pro debut at the 2018 Arnold Classic, he managed to topple a roster of impressive competitors and took home first prize. At that year’s Olympia, he won the bronze behind Derek Lunsford and Flex Lewis, in what would be Lewis’ final 212 competition.

A year later, he would bring the complete package onto bodybuilding’s biggest stage and was declared the new face of 212 bodybuilding. He would then announce his intention to retire from competition — and certainly nobody would’ve blamed the then-47-year-old for wanting to do so. He could’ve easily returned to the U.K., where he owns and manages his own gym, and spend time with his family while the younger, up-and-coming stars duke it out.

But that’s how Elgargni functions, and … Read the rest

Brazil is known for many things — its beautiful beaches, Carnaval, the Christ the Redeemer statue, and pão de queijo (Brazilian cheese bread).

Come this December, the South American country will celebrate one more thing: the impressive delegation that will be representing it at this year’s Bikini Olympia. Three qualified athletes will be representing Brazil at this year’s contest, and many who have USA by their names were born there, such as Raphaela Milagres.

“Brazilians are just hard workers by nature,” Raphaela, who now lives in Florida, tells Muscle & Fitness. “We have to work hard to succeed for what we want.”

Etila Santiago, who recently moved to Florida from Brazil, agrees with that take. “That is true,” she says. “We do have a really strong work ethic.”

The rise of the Brazilian competitors has also caught the attention of the … Read the rest

The 2020 Joe Weider’s Olympia Fitness & Performance Weekend, widely regarded as the Super Bowl of the fitness industry, will feature the returns of Phil Heath, Flex Lewis, Iris Kyle, Oksana Grishina, and Adela Garcia, along with the last-ever competition of Dexter Jackson, and the revival of the Ms. Olympia contest.

While there’s a lot to look forward to onstage, it shouldn’t be lost on anybody that there’s another huge factor that will make this year’s Olympia unlike any other: Planet Hollywood Las Vegas, located on the iconic Las Vegas strip. One of Sin City’s most iconic locations, Planet Hollywood reopened its doors to the general public on Oct. 8 and its iconic Zappos Theater will play host to the 2020 Olympia Finals.

And unlike prior years, there’s no need to leave the host hotel since the Olympia Fan Pavilion — which replaces the traditional convention center expo — … Read the rest

Just about everyone is excited to see Phil Heath make his bodybuilding return at this year’s Mr. Olympia, but unlike many of his fellow competitors, we won’t get to see much of the 7-time champion’s preparation for the contest. Heath has already committed to working in silence and letting the results do all the talking.

So while we won’t get to see the blood, sweat, and tears Heath puts into his training before the show, we will get to see much of it after in the form of a feature-length documentary that’s being produced by none other than Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Dany Garcia’s Seven Bucks Productions studio.

The documentary will follow Heath in and out of the gym as he prepares to accomplish what only two men have done before him: win eight Sandow trophies.

“I’m grateful to announce this project that’s been in the works for a … Read the rest