Come to the 50th Anniversary of Olympia! I will be at the Olympia Expo on Friday, September 19th, and Saturday, September 20th, working at the AIM Publications booth, which features magazines like Muscle & Performance, Oxygen, MuscleMag, and Black Belt. Be sure to stop by to say hello, and get some free magazines!
Here we are at the AIM booth from the Arnold Sports Festival earlier this year:
And from last year’s Olympia:
Robin Williams’ suicide brought attention to the depression that often strikes entertainers, but sadly, he wasn’t the first comedic genius to take his own life. Freddie Prinz died at the age of 22, and Richard Jeni died right before his 50th birthday, both from self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Evidently, comedy can serve as an outlet for severe depression and psychosis, but the danger lies in the fact that making others people laugh can hide a dangerous secret.
I worked for Richard Jeni for over four years as his personal assistant, and as always blown away by his wit and his brilliance. Being a personal assistant required me to wear many hats, and it was not an easy job, especially when Rich was in one of his moods. He lived in a beautiful home in the Hollywood Hills which I had to maintain, and which, despite all of its creature comforts, always felt very empty. I helped Rich with everything from household related issues, to assistance with booking gigs and organizing travel, serving as his personal stylist, organizing recordings of sitcoms he studied, and traveling with him for Caroline’s Comedy Hour and one of his cable specials.
Rich never married and had no children, and I honestly couldn’t imagine him with a wife and kids because, he was frequently out of town on gigs, and HAD to have everything his own way. There were numerous times that I would find myself greeting a new girlfriend who suddenly was one of the fixtures in the house, only to see Rich’s outlook on life darken when the girlfriend eventually became the ex. I knew that though Rich was incredibly funny, and kept me in stitches when he would dictate his bits for me to transcribe, he was never happy. I knew so much about him, where he was born and raised, how he left law school to become a comic, what foods he wanted in his fridge at all times, what interior design aesthetic he preferred, where and how he wanted his clean laundry distributed, what wardrobe items he wanted me to scout out, etc., but I never knew the depths of his loneliness.
Though I quit working for Rich to embark on my medical education, we stayed in touch from time to time and in this way continued our friendship. The last time I had seen him was in 2005 when his cable special, “A Big Steaming Pile Of Me” premiered. He was paranoid and disjointed during the premiere, and exhibited bizarre behavior which turned out to be the early stages of paranoid schizophrenia.
I still remember seeing the headline on AOL News on March 11, 2007, which announced that Richard Jeni had shot himself in the face and was dead. It stunned me. It was also extremely strange to find out via the Internet, but with Rich’s modest celebrity status, it was appropriate. I still can’t fathom how he had come to the point where he took the gun and pointed the barrel at himself, but I also cannot understand how a family man like Robin Williams chose to wrap a belt around his neck and cut off his own life breath. Both deaths were tragic, unnecessary, and highlighted an insidious mental disease which lurks among people from all walks of life. No amount of money, success, or fame can ever guarantee the happiness of a human being.
In honor of Richard Jeni and Robin Williams, both of whom were brilliant comics, I am posting these videos for you to enjoy:
My non-fitness friends don’t see why I get excited about attending Olympia every year. They say that it looks like the same old thing every year, and to a certain extent it is. But there is something so powerful about getting bodybuilding greats to descend upon Las Vegas that I wouldn’t want to miss it for the world. The energy in the Expo Hall is incredible, and with so many of the world’s top competitors there to compete, I pick up on that buzz and enjoy it immensely. When I attend Olympia, I bump into so many friends in the industry that it serves as a regular reunion. This year in particular is a milestone because it marks FIFTY years of Olympia. This year’s Olympia will be televised, hopefully generating more interest from the mainstream and portraying bodybuilding in a favorable light.
From Olympia 2012
The noise in the Expo hall can be deafening at times, but I love it because it is reflective of the energy that builds up. People in the industry are very bold about showing their excitement and passion. There is no restraint at the O! At the end of each Expo day, my feet are sore, my legs are tired, my forearms are cut up from the magazines I pass out to people, and my voice is hoarse, but I absolutely love it. You better believe I will be back at the O next year and for many years to come.
I love this Ravish Sands suit and felt great in it when I competed earlier this year. I knew I was taking a chance of getting washed out a bit onstage, but I still had a great time in Sacramento and Phoenix! Before I left Phoenix, I had the good fortune to shoot with Steven Trujillo of Trudge Photo, and we got some fantastic images.
Oh, to be a competitor in the world of bodybuilding. It is empowering, exhilarating, inspiring, stressful, challenging and at times heartbreaking. A fascinating psychology exists in this world which can best be described by listing some of the quirks competitors have.
Ripped versus “Fat”:
First of all, competitors develop a bizarre love-hate relationship with their bodies in which they marvel at their bodies when they are lean and muscular and in contest shape, but will curse their bodies when they are the slightest bit mushy or fluffy. Competitors live in a world in which the bar is set VERY high. Competitors will see themselves as fat when others see an amazing body and will say so. Competitors will always believe that the more ripped and lean they are, the better they are. While this is a necessary component of contest prep, it plays games with a person’s self-esteem because it is a constant battle to reach or remain at the pinnacle of leanness and muscularity.
Overtraining:
Some competitors will overtrain in an effort to get their bodies dialed in, without considering the inevitable damage they are doing to their bodies. Yes, we are warriors, and yes, it can be a great thing to push through, but with too much training, the law of diminishing returns kicks in. I completely relate to the principle of training constantly for a big contest because I have done it many times. I have endured double training and double cardio sessions which at times had me in the gym for five hours at a time. I have sustained injuries in my foot, ankle, knee, shoulder and forearm and continued my training because a big event was looming around the corner. Was it smart to train through injuries? No, but at the time I couldn’t imagine slowing down or stopping just because of a silly injury. This is the very thing I now scold clients about. No contest is worth hurting yourself!
“A judge told me I suck!”
Another thing that competitors have a habit of doing is worrying about what judges say and taking criticism hard. Competitors need to remember that bodybuilding, to a considerable degree, is a subjective sport, and if you are going to allow a judge to rip you apart and kill your spirit, then you probably shouldn’t be competing at all. The word of one judge is exactly that. Now if you speak to a bunch of judges and people in the sport who know what the ideal for the division you compete in is, and they all tell you the same thing, then you can probably assume that what they are all telling you is constructive criticism which you can then use as a reference when you make adjustments to your training program. That way, you will address certain weaknesses without throwing in the towel.
Money drain:
Bodybuilding is a VERY expensive sport. When you tally up the cost of food, supplements, coaching, competition apparel, spray tanning, accessories, hair styling and makeup application, travel expenses, and entry fees, the financial load can be immense. Competitors will often go broke, scraping up whatever money they have to make the dream of competing happen. This is not a poor man’s sport! That is why I tell competitors to establish a budget and be judicious about which events they want to do and what they can afford to do. I also advise competitors to seek out sponsors to help out with the enormous costs of competing. It is not unusual to see competitors forgo other hobbies and vacations in an effort to gather enough funds to support their competing habit.
Food Porn:
As a competitor who used to dream about food, I completely understand the fantasizing which occurs in competitors when on a contest prep meal plan. Contest prep meals are usually bland as a result of how clean they are, and some meal plans are so restrictive that one may eat only two food items throughout the day, such as chicken and asparagus. It’s only human nature to rebel against this type of meal plan after a while, because it is quite a chore to adhere to it every single day with no treats and no cheats. It is a normal occurrence for competitors to discuss what foods they plan to eat post-contest. What’s also interesting is that some competitors will become so rigid and so fearful of backlash from their coaches that they will only have a quasi-cheat meal post contest, then return to the same rigid eating plan they were on before. Other competitors may go off the deep end, eating everything in sight for days or weeks, only to deal with considerable rebound.
Conclusion:
Those of us who compete are indeed a strange breed. We are disciplined, driven and focused. I am fine with our quirks and accept them as part of the sport.
Image by Chaz Photographics, shot July 2013 after I won my IFBB Pro Card
Ever since I began competing in bodybuilding contests in 2009, countless doors of opportunity have opened for me, and I have walked across many thresholds since then. The opportunities set before me enabled me to accept more fully my role as an educator and motivator when I work as a physician and fitness professional. What I never factored in when I began this amazing journey was how many people I would inspire along the way, not only through my motivating words, but also through leading by example. This is why I tell people that as you go through your life, remember that you never know whom you are inspiring, especially if you are in the public eye. Every step, every decision, every failure, and every victory you make in your chosen industry is observed, even if you are a private person like I am. I truly had NO IDEA that with every contest I did in the NPC, I was impacting those who were watching me. I have come to realize more recently how much I can empower others when I strut my stuff onstage despite often being the oldest competitor up there, even in the Masters Pro lineup.
I am a go-getter, stubborn and set on finishing whatever I start. That is how I overcame anorexia at the age of 19, became a fitness professional in my 20’s, became a physician in my 30’s, and carved out a unique niche for myself in the world of medicine and wellness. Perhaps I haven’t given myself enough credit for all that I have done. When I think about all the things I have accomplished, it makes perfect sense that I have the power to transform people’s lives and inspire them. Yet when I hear people say that I am their hero, it always surprises me, and I am always so honored to be regarded in that way. Inside I am saying, “Really? Little old me?”, despite the fact that more people than ever before are sharing this information with me. I don’t take the idea of being a role model or hero lightly at all. It’s a tremendous blessing to have any positive impact on another human being’s life.
One of the coolest aspects of finding out that I have inspired clients, patients, fans and friends, is that these people become heroes themselves when they go through lifestyle overhauls. Every time I hear the excitement in a client’s voice as she becomes stronger, fitter and more confident, or I look at before and after pictures of a client transformation, I am overcome with pride. These people become MY heroes.
I will boldly state right now that I cannot stand Crossfit, and will be delighted when its novelty wears off. There are substantial reasons for my argument against the principles of Crossfit, especially when it comes to speaking to NPC and IFBB competitors who believe that Crossfit will enhance their efforts to get into contest shape. Not only will Crossfit widen your waistline as a result of the constant heavy lifting, it will also cause cortisol spikes which make your body hold onto belly fat for dear life.
Here are the nine fundamental exercises which Crossfit is built upon:
Air Squat
Front Squat
Overhead Squat
Shoulder Press
Push Press
Push Jerk
Deadlift
Sumo Deadlift High Pull
Medicine Ball Clean
I can only imagine how many lumbar disc herniations have occurred in weekend athletes as a result of performing most of these movements, not to mention the rotator cuff strains and tears from the stress on the shoulders. I also find it pretty annoying that Crossfit renamed the free squat or bodyweight squat in an effort to be catchy and original. What’s more, I see no point in getting a client to perform 200 or 300 “air” squats in a row, not unless your objective is to drive your client to complete exhaustion and overtraining. Based on what I have witnessed with the design of Crossfit regimens, exhaustion and overtraining is the inevitable outcome.
Crossfit routines also incorporate other exercises such as pullups and pushups. What bothers me is that these movements are performed in a high rep range, to the tune of 100 or more. Then the client may be pushed to do tire flips or some of the asinine Olympic lifts that Crossfit holds so dear to its faddish foundation. I am NOT impressed with the super high intensity workouts that define Crossfit. They tax the central nervous system to an excessive degree. Crossfit fanatics may love the feeling of being pushed to the limit, but this sport is downright DANGEROUS. When the body is fatigued to the extent that it is in a Crossfit routine, the risk for muscle breakdown and frank rhabdomyolysis is considerable. No physical discipline is worth the risk of landing in the hospital.
I understand that Crossfit offers a great social environment and a feeling of camaraderie, but at what price? Every single person I know who is a fan of Crossfit has been injured while doing it. The suggested Crossfit regimen of 3 days on, 1 day off is too rigorous when you consider the fact that Olympic lifts are part of the core of Crossfit training. The body simply cannot repair itself in enough time. To fatigue a Crossfit client by having him/her do a WOD (workout of the day for those of you not familiar with Crossfit) and then stack on deadlifts for reps or 5 foot high box jumps is insane. Benefits drop dramatically when the body is completely depleted like that. The Crossfit mentality of deplete and endure is pure bullshit. Bodybuilders, in contrast, train hard and heavy, and yes, they often train to depletion or failure, but they certainly aren’t going to attempt 100 pullups after destroying a traditional back workout. They understand the law of diminishing returns all too well.
Proponents of Crossfit often state that the training is functional and enhances the day to day activities which people perform. When was the last time you had to do a clean and jerk while on the job? Unless you work as a firefighter, stock room clerk or some other physically demanding work role, I seriously doubt that you are performing movements which mimic what happens while in a Crossfit box. Besides, if you’re injured as a result of Crossfit (or should I say WHEN), you can’t possibly perform any challenging physical movement which strains your injured body part.
Rich Froning World Champion Crossfit Athlete
Sadik Hadzovic IFBB Men’s Physique Pro
If it sounds like I am saying you will have to decide between doing Crossfit and competing in any of the bodybuilding divisions, I am. You simply cannot create the nipped in waist and beautiful taper that defines every single bodybuilding division. If you do Crossfit, you will create a strong body (plus some injuries), but you will also widen your silhouette and carry a layer of fat as a result of all that cortisol you will release from constant high intensity training. Look at a typical Crossfit athlete. Shoulders are broad, quads and hams are thick, and the abdominal region is thick and boxy. That is what happens when compound Olympic lifts are performed on a regular basis. If that is your aesthetic ideal, by all means knock yourself out with Crossfit, but you will be destroyed on a bodybuilding stage.
On the subject of Olympic lifts, even powerlifters have the sense not to rep out on these movements. Yet Crossfitters, blinded by the so-called warrior mentality that leads them to do stupid things that invite injury, will rep out on movements which recruit a tremendous amount of muscle fibers and hence tax the central nervous system. I am willing to bet that the Crossfit nation contends with adrenal burnout, permanent muscle damage, and repetitive tendon and ligament ruptures on a relatively consistent basis, and that such negative aspects will eventually cause the demise of this fad sport.
I will always staunchly defend the focus and the principles behind bodybuilding. I know that NPC and IFBB competitors are true warriors and know how to push through grueling training. I also strongly believe that for the most part, most competitors are smart enough not to overtrain or invite injury by performing movements which are biomechanically unsound. The world of bodybuilding not only rewards strength, but it also recognizes the aesthetic ideal which all bodybuilders aspire to achieve, regardless of division. Bodybuilding is not about flipping a massive tire across a gym, it’s about sculpting and defining muscle.
(Please also check out sportsuppguide.com for a posting of this article there.)
This was from 2013 Team Universe where I finally attained IFBB Pro Status…after 14 Pro qualifers, folks!
To those of you who have been hunting down that Pro Card, especially those of you who keep getting great placings, remember WHY you compete. Remember the drive and determination which got you to compete in the first place. Think of the family members, friends, coworkers, fans and followers who believe in you and regard you as a champion no matter what. The quote which kept me going, and which keeps me going with everything I tackle in my life, is:
“FALL DOWN SEVEN TIMES, GET UP EIGHT.”
If you are a seasoned national level NPC competitor and you get smacked down again at a Pro qualifier, you will probably feel dejected and pissed off to the point of saying, “F*&% this!”. The best thing you can do after an outcome like that is to give yourself time to calm down after the blow and dust yourself off. Believe me, I have been there before. I have hidden in my hotel room post-contest, stuffing my face with contest-busting foods, feeling sorry for myself and letting loose a barrage of cuss words. So I completely understand how it feels to miss the mark.
If you choose to get back on the horse again, do it for YOURSELF, not for the judges, family, fans or whomever. If you choose NOT to get back on the horse, make sure that decision is made when you are thinking clearly. Whatever you do, don’t walk away from the competitive life with your tail between your legs! Channel your energies into other areas of your life and know that stepping onstage takes tremendous courage. And YOU DID IT.
dr. stacey naito's blog 