How Tom Platz Built Those Legs

How Tom Platz Built Those Legs
Article from Musclemag International

Just starting out, I trained with Olympic lifters who taught me a reverence for the squat. They taught me that this is where life and death passes before your eyes, that this is the altar of weight lifting. But when I first came to Gold's in Venice the squat rack was cluttered and shoved in the back, an nobody used it. Sure, Arnold and Ed Corney used it in Pumping Iron, but that was more for show. When I started squatting a lot, people said I shouldn't because it would throw off my balance and symmetry. I did it anyway.

Because it was so taxing, I squatted only twice a month. It was like you were attempting something superhuman. To prepare for it, I'd get up at 5 a.m. and mentally talk to myself as encouragement and that helped make it easy in my mind. It never turned out that way, of course. It was always brutal, to the point where I'd go, "I think I felt the muscle tear off the bone. I think we should stop, Tony (Martinez)." And he's say, "You'll be okay. Rub it a little bit and you'll be fine." But I was good at talking myself into the idea of squatting, even though I knew the reality."

I'd put on my lifting shoes - I wore Adidas weightlifting shoes with a higher heel that tapered down to a thin sole - and they were part of my experience, physically and psychologically. I mean, would you go ice-skating without blades? Lifting shoes were that for me: an important piece of the puzzle that made my workout the experience that it was.

So I'd put on my shoes, grab my gear and drive from Malibu to Venice in my 1960 Corvette. As I pulled out of the garage the throaty rumble of the powerful engine would blend  into my psyche and become part of my preparation as I drove. I'd purposely drive by the ocean to watch the waves smash powerfully against the rocks. If I thought about the workout too much, I'd get sweaty palms on the way to the gym and couldn't grip the steering wheel. Watching the ocean helped distract, and prepare me.

I'd pull into Gold's in Venice. It wasn't busy like it is today. There were only a few of us there, especially that early. And, of course, Tony would be there waiting for me, ready for the workout.

We'd go to the squat rack and I remember always stretching in front of the rack. I'd take the hurdler's position on the floor - one leg bent, the other straight - then lower my nose to my knee. As I stretched out I'd try to ease my mind, convince myself I was there to have fun, to just do one or two sets and call it quits. Sometimes we'd even cover the mirror with newspaper because I didn't want to see myself squat. I just wanted to feel it and experience it within my own being.

Of course this pre-workout time wasn't only about the stretching; it was also about emotionally and physically preparing for what was about to come. I'd touch the weights, the rack, the bar, and I'd have this almost religious reverence for them. I liked to use an old battered bar, slightly bent just enough so that it didn't roll off my shoulders when I was standing erect. I'd marked it with a plate, banged the plate on the collar so that I could remember which one it was, and I always wrapped a towel around the bar before I started my sets.

Done stretching, I'd put on my lifting belt - a little loose so that I could breathe - and Tony and I would warm up real slow. A set at 135 for 10 easy reps. Add another plate, nice and easy. Then we'd listen to Motown and we'd start progressing with the weight. Now 315. I'd leave space between the plates on purpose so when I came up from the squat, a real quick rep, the plates would jingle. The sound was very important to me. The music, the Motown and the plates jingling against one another - big, thick, 45-pound iron plates. That sound helped me time the reps and my movement. I liked to come up quickly with such speed that the bar would bend over my shoulders and the plates would crash together, and I relished that sensation! I'd do a quick 20 reps with 315 with all my senses focused.

One more 45 per side and Tony would put the collars on, knowing the exact space to get that sound. Tony would count off my reps . . . 10 . . . 20 . . . 30 - let's see how far we can go! When I'd get to the point where I couldn't do any more reps, Tony would say something like, "You OWN this exercise!" or "Go after it and GET IT!" He would conjure up six, eight, 10, 20 more reps out of me. Then I'd literally fall into the squat rack and jing! The plates would rattle and I'd fall to the floor. I'd take the belt off and all of a sudden I was gasping for air and I couldn't breathe. It felt like someone was driving knives into my legs, and my heart rate went through the roof. I couldn't see, I was sweating profusely, but eventually I'd come back.

Sometimes it took me 20 minutes, but I always came back. When I could see properly again I'd go outside and breathe some fresh air, then come back in and say, "Okay, Tony, one more set!" And we'd go again.

On those days when I left the gym I was high. I thought, "I lived through this. I got through this. I can do anything in life." I'd keep my belt on loosely and walk to the car, thinking victory. I was one with my spirit and with God.

I trained legs every week, but the squats were so exhausting that I couldn't walk afterward and doing another exercise was simply out of the question. So I squatted twice a month and did other 'accessory' machine movements like leg extensions, leg curls, and hack squats on alternate weeks.

Leg Extensions

Back in the mid-80s this guy named Magic, who lived in a yellow school bus behind Gold's gym, made me a  special lifting belt to strap myself into place onto the old leg extension at Gold's - the original one Joe Gold had made that Arnold, Draper, Zane, Corney and all of my mentor figures had used. I'd hurt my arm - I tore the biceps tendon off the bone - and although it had been repaired, hanging onto the leg extension machine put a lot of stress on my arm. The old machine was just a seat with no back and a bicycle chain attached to the weight stack. It was antiquated, even at that time, but I liked it because I felt Draper's fingerprints on it. A lot of people had no idea how to use the machine because it didn't have a back on it, but I knew. All I had to do was look at that machine and my legs grew.

I'd lock myself into the machine (using the belt Magic made), and hook my feet under the pad. I'd warm up with some light weight, like half a stack for a set of 10. Then I had this old, bent, beat-up pin that I'd put underneath the whole stack and hand a 100-pound plate off. Tony's job was to make sure that plate didn't fall of while I was doing my reps! Then I'd start: I'd pull this weight stack with the 100-pound plate as forcefully as I could up in the air, accelerating through the whole movement. Because the machine had to back, I'd lean forward, grab the back of the machine and at this point I was almost parallel to the floor! Then I'd lower the stack and plate back to the start, controlling its descent as I sat back up. A jackknife. Rep after rep, I'd feel the tension accumulating in my muscles. And when I dropped the weight at the bottom it'd bounce on the springs of the machine. I'd lift it again and my legs would light on fire. The intensity and the tension were indicative that growth was imminent. Separation, clarity, distinction, quality -- all the freaky stuff I lived for would be forthcoming.

I'd get 8-10 reps for the first 5 sets, then maybe 2-5 reps for the next 5. When I say 8-10 or 2-5,that's reps done on my own; I'm not counting the 15-20 forced reps -- baby reps, partial reps, negatives -- that Tony would assist me with. I'd raise the machine arm as high as I possibly could so that my quads were fully contracted. Then Tony would push down, in pulses almost, on the machine arm and I'd resist his pressure. He'd repeatedly push down,then let go, and I would bring it back up as high as I could. The weight would slowly get lower and lower because I was getting fatigued,and finally about 6 to 7 minutes later the set would be done. It was like a long, extended negative set with little pushes and pulls throughout. And that was just one set.

When the set was over I'd be in extreme pain, writhing around. And it was like an operation to get me out of that machine as a few guys unbuckled me and took the chains and straps off. Then I'd get up and hang onto the machine and gasp for air. But after a minute or two, Tony would look at me and say, "You ready? Let's go." And he'd lock me back into place again and I'd do 6-10 more sets.

Lying Leg Curls

I'd always do lying leg curls at the completion or our workout. We used the old Nautilus leg curl machine -- the one with a bicycle chain that made a ton of noise -- of course! Again, a very antiquated machine but the most effective one of all time, I believe. It's long gone but I still remember how it used to feel.

Because we did leg curls at the end of the workout, I was pretty tired and could only do like 1-4 sets, but I'd change it up to achieve failure. Sometimes I'd do 50 reps with moderate weight, or I'd use tons of weight for only 3 reps. The workouts depended on my mood and my level of exhaustion.

For the curls I'd do a number of reps on my own, then I'd have Tony grab my ankles and push down very, very slowly. I'd fight back the whole time and the negative part of the set might last a whole minute. Two sets like that and I was finished.

Hack Squats

Hack squats were very, very meaningful in terms of bringing out the sweep in my quads. Initially when I was developing my training protocol I tried to do hacks after my barbell squats. But because I could barely walk after squatting I had no strength to do them, so I did the hacks on alternate weeks, too.

In the machine, I was taught to put my heels together and point my toes out. That way you primarily squat on the lateral edge of your foot, putting tension on the vastus lateralis, which gives the thighs a sweep.

I'd do a warmup set with a few plates on each side to get my head on right -- of course leaving some space between the plates so they'd jingle and give me that sound I loved -- then I'd do hack squats until I couldn't do any more. Sometimes I'd have four 45-pound plates on each side for 8-10 reps. Other times I'd have a quarter or a dime on their for 50 reps. The weight didn't matter. I'd go for that mental connection to my body and my legs. I wanted to feel and grow that tension to the point where I knew it was going to be effective in the muscles becoming larger, more striated or more substantial.

I'd do several reps on my own, then I'd have Tony push down on the machine while I'd do partial reps. Or sometimes I'd have Tony sit on the machine, hang onto it and pull, and I'd do baby reps, partial reps, isometrics and negatives. Whatever it took to completely exhaust the muscles to the point of absolute failure -- then go beyond that into the red zone. We'd do a total of about 6-10 sets of hack squats.

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Disclaimer: The Content on this site is intended to be used for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to be and should not be interpreted as medical advice or a diagnosis of any health or fitness problem, condition or disease; or a recommendation for a specific test, doctor, care provider, procedure, treatment plan, product, or course of action. BODYBUILDING MAURITIUS is not a medical or healthcare provider and your use of this site does not create a doctor / patient relationship. We disclaim all responsibility for the professional qualifications and licensing of, and services provided by, any physician or other health providers posting on or otherwise referred to on this Site and/or any Third Party Site. Never disregard the medical advice of your physician or health professional, or delay in seeking such advice, because of something you read on this Site. We offer this Site AS IS and without any warranties.  Correspondence: vicgoyaram@gmail.com

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Varieties of Deadlifting by John Grimek (1962)

Old School Training Series

Varieties of Deadlifting

by John Grimek (1962)

 In spite of some opposition to the deadlift by a few authorities in the past, the deadlift is still one of the finest exercises for any barbell man to include in his training. But the name "deadlift" has a strange, ominous ring to all who are not familiar with weight training, although many comedians have kicked it around here and there and gotten some laughs with it. In spite of its name being the butt of an occasional joke there are many varieties of this exercise that exert tremendous influence upon the body when employed regularly, either as a muscle and strength developer or a remedial exercise.

Art Weige, who was a very good deadlifter for a tall man, 

lifting a heavy weight in the old York gym.

For some reason the importance of this exercise over the years has been overlooked, and today only a small proportion of all weight lifters include this movement regularly in their training. The few who employ it do so primarily as a back strengthener and conditioner. Many bodybuilders have the impression that it has no particular value for them. This conclusion is wholly unjustified. Those who share this conclusion are foolishly depriving themselves of a fine exercise. However, when this exercise, the regular deadlift, is used faithfully it has exceptional merits in keeping the back strong and the spine flexible . . . something we all need.

Steve Reeves, with his long arms and wide shoulders

doing one of his favorite forms of deadlifting

holding the rim of each plate.

Actually the deadlift is one of the oldest exercises known in body culture. At one time this exercise appeared in all training courses, most of which proclaimed it to be the finest all-round exercise for the body, putting greater emphasis on it as a back conditioner and overall power builder. And even today among the better informed this opinion still exists; only actual lifting movements are comparable. When this exercise is worked regularly it serves to develop those two cable-like muscles, the erector spinea, that run along each side of the spine (from the head down to the hips) better than any other exercise except, and I repeat, the quick lifting movements. All these movements and exercises, such as the deadlift, serve to develop and strengthen the entire back. This is important since this is the region where weakness is first felt by most persons. Yet this region can be kept strong and flexible throughout life with proper training, and especially with some of the exercises mentioned here.

Tommy Kono illustrates the isometric deadlift on the power rack.

The real truth of the matter is that very few people give their backs any consideration. It is only when they get "laid up" with a backache that they begin to realize the necessity of keeping the back strong and flexible. Exercise is always thought of by the uninitiated as a means to fight off accumulated weight to which most of us are so easily susceptible in this society, but exercise is just as important in keeping the muscles toned up and strong so they can oppose the pull of gravity upon the body. Once the muscles lose their tonicity they are subjected to many injuries, and the muscles of the back seem to be the most prone to injury when we choose to allow them to weaken. This weakness is reflected in the numerous cases of ruptured disks we so frequently hear about these days. But if the muscles along the spine and sides were kept strong such back conditions would be much less frequent. And when there is weakness in the lower back the pressure between the vertebrae is increased, thus breaking down the disks and resulting in what is commonly known as a "ruptured disk." Confinement with traction usually follows, augmented by heat, massage and medication. When improvement fails, surgery is often called for, with varying results.

Ron Lacy, Mr. America 1957, shown doing the stiff legged deadlift from the floor. 

Most people are unaware that the spinal column is made up of approximately 33 vertebrae and arranged in such a way as to provide maximum bending movement in all these segments except the coccyx region. Each vertebra is bound and kept in place by strong ligaments. Through this column passes the spinal cord, the nervous system of the body, with nerves passing through this column to every section of the body. Any subluxation of the spine can cause pain, making any movement very uncomfortable. Strengthening the muscles in and around this area will help to keep the back in better condition and thus prevent future backache. As pointed out earlier this can be accomplished with the deadlift variations given herein, all of which work these muscles and will safeguard you from back miseries.

140 pounder, Art Neiss, lifting 460 at Muscle Beach, Santa Monica, California.

Naturally the question of body proportions and structure governs anyone's ability to perform a commendable deadlift. A fellow with proportionately long arms, regardless of height, will always outlift the shorter armed fellow if both are of approximately the same strength (and determination). His longer arms allow him to get into a better position to pull on the weight; neither does he have to lift the weight as high, but just barely above the knees. For a time many were of the opinion that fellows with shorter legs and longer upper bodies would make the ideal deadlifters. I always doubted this. Instead I felt that a man with longer legs and a shorter back would be better suited for lifting heavier poundages in this lift. My reason for this conclusion, and you'll probably agree with me if you analyze the movement, is that most of the lifting is done with the legs, and a shorter back with longer legs permits a better position to be assumed for making a heavy deadlift. And because the torso is shorter less strain is placed on the back in straightening up. A fine example of this was the featherweight lifter John Terry. At a bodyweight of slightly over 130 pounds  he deadlifted around 600. Terry wasn't a tall man by any means - around 5'2" - but his legs were long for his height, as were his arms. His arm span equaled that of the average 5'10" man, and when he completed the deadlift the weight was only an inch or two above his knees.

In fact, most men with longer backs are more flexible than those who are shorter in this region. This explains why so many longer legged fellows are unable to touch their toes (unless they have unusually long arms) as the shorter men can do. Many long legged men are unable to lower the weight past their toes in the stiff legged deadlift, while those with longer torsos can do this without too much trouble. Consequently, body mechanics do help to make it easier for one individual to do the stiff legged deadlift, while another finds the regular style of deadlifting easier and more appropriate. 

Left: Harry Johnson, Mr. America 1959, uses a high bench for stiff legged deadlifts.
Right: George Shandor does the exercise with a low bench. 

Some bodybuilding authorities in the past had the opinion that too much stretching and stiff legged deadlifting help to overstretch the spine and the ligaments that bind the vertebrae. Personally, I don't think this is a serious as it may sound. Actually, all the muscles, tendons, and ligaments become stronger with use, and if this is ever overdone an injury is likely to result, not merely an overstretching of these parts. Nevertheless, there is no point in overdoing any exercise. The object of regulated training should be towards the improvement of the body, and not to injure or debilitate it!

O.B. Smith of Kansas City

regular deadlifting for power with over 550 pounds.

Let us analyze some of the methods of deadlifting exercises and learn which muscles such exercises activate.

Regular Deadlift: in this lift the back, legs and hips bear the brunt of the movement. Also activated are the shoulders, trapezius, biceps, abdomen and the grip.

Stiff Legged Deadlift: All the muscles mentioned in the previous lift, plus the buttocks and all the muscles located on the rear of the legs from the buttocks down to the heels.

Bendover or Good Morning Exercise: This one is similar to the stiff legged variety so far as similar muscles are concerned, but less weight is used to accomplish this. Because the weight is held on the shoulders behind the neck the leverage is vastly increased. Certain individuals prefer this variety to the stiff legged deadlift. Both are good developing exercises.

Deadlift by Holding Rims of Plates: A fine novelty of the regular deadlift that requires strong fingers and an exceptional arm span. Affects almost the same muscles as the regular deadlift, though the latissimus dorsi is involved somewhat. Grip and arm span remain a big factor in this lift.

Straddle Deadlift: Some men can do more in this variety than in the regular deadlift. You begin in exactly the same way as you would in doing the straddle (Jefferson) lift, except the weight is lowered until it touches the floor and the back is rounded. Although the upper and lower sections are strongly involved, the legs and trapezius are vigorously involved.

Isometric Deadlift: All muscles as described above in all varieties.

  

Now, which exercises among this group should you do? That's entirely up to you and what you wish to accomplish. You may have noticed that most lifters use either the regular deadlift, the straddle type of deadlift, and isometric pulls for power building. Bodybuilders, on the other hand, favor the stiff legged variety because it reacts favorably upon the muscles and is an excellent conditioner. In any case, if you want to keep your back strong, flexible and free from annoying misery, now and in the future, this is the time to start and continue to exercise your back regularly.

Gene Neil, first man in North Carolina to deadlift 700 pounds.

It's always a good idea to finish off your deadlifting with an extra strong pull on the power rack, or to handle a weight that is near your limit. However, and I want to emphasize this point, always warm up your back before attempting anything that is near your limit. The powerful muscles of the back respond best, for bodybuilding purposes, when 8-10 repetitions are used, even more in some cases. But for strengthening purposes and building overall power, 1 to 5 reps with limit poundages and repeated for 3 or more sets should be used.

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Arnold Schwarzenegger Calf Training Wisdom

Arnold Schwarzenegger

 Calf Training Wisdom

Calves must be the most widely controversial muscle group to train, aside from maybe abs. Discussions range from training heavy versus light, high reps versus low reps, what volume and frequency are appropriate and sometimes even whether or not to train them at all. I have strong opinions on training calves, and while others may disagree with my stance on developing them, here they are nonetheless.

  

On Time Investment

In my opinion, the one thing that thwarts the progress of an individual's calf development more than anything else is attrition. Most people just don't have the patience and persistence to maintain the necessary intensity level to maximize this stubborn bodypart.

The Donkey Calf Raise 

I've always believed that the price of having great calves is 500 hours. I'll explain. 500 hours equals more than 660 45-minute calf workouts. 660 divided by 4 calf workouts per week equals about 165 weeks. That's more than three years of work! And realize I am talking about four intense 45-minute calf workouts per week for more than three consistent years. Be honest, and time the length of your next calf workout. Is it even anywhere near 45 minutes?Anything less is futile effort, unless you're genetically blessed with amazing calves. So stick with it. 

Weakness turned into strength 

On Resistance

Back when I was still having trouble putting size on my calves, I did calf raises using 500-600 pounds of resistance, thinking that was more than enough weight. Then Reg Park pointed out that each of my calves was accustomed to supporting 250 pounds of bodyweight, so 500 pounds was pretty normal for me. That's when I started overloading my calves, using up to 1,000 pounds on standing calf raises. And that's when they grew. Now, I'd never suggest that a beginner or even an intermediate lifter go this heavy, but the point is to use a sufficiently heavy weight relative to your bodyweight when training calves.

Arnold at his most massive Olympia showing
Circa. 1974

On Range of Motion

Simply put, the greater your range of motion when doing seated, standing, or donkey calf raises, the more your calves will develop. This means getting a full stretch at the bottom, then going all the way up to the top and squeezing hard. One exception to this rule exists -- partial reps. Back in my heyday, every fourth calf workout (give or take) I did consisted of only half and quarter movements using extremely heavy weight. This added resistance on my calves was very beneficial for adding mass, despite my limited range of motion. 

Standing Calf Raises

On Rep Ranges

It would be impossible for me to sum up how many reps I'd typically do per set of calf exercises -- I alternately employed high, low, and moderate reps throughout the ''60s and '70s. For example, I might do 5 sets of 10 reps per exercise one day, then do 20 reps per set the following workout, then maybe 12-15 reps the next. And then some days I'd load up the stack really heavy and perform just 3-4 reps per set. On occasion I'd train with a guy like Tom Platz, and we'd do sets of 30,40, or 50 reps. So you see, the goal when training calves is to be as unpredictable as possible. You must constantly try new training protocols.   

Strong calves are a must

The fruit of hard work is always sweet

Full Calf Training Article on Bodybuilding Mauritius (Click to Read)

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©,2013, Veeraj Goyaram, Bodybuilding Mauritius. Any reprinting in any type of media is prohibited.

Disclaimer: The Content on this site is intended to be used for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to be and should not be interpreted as medical advice or a diagnosis of any health or fitness problem, condition or disease; or a recommendation for a specific test, doctor, care provider, procedure, treatment plan, product, or course of action. BODYBUILDING MAURITIUS is not a medical or healthcare provider and your use of this site does not create a doctor / patient relationship. We disclaim all responsibility for the professional qualifications and licensing of, and services provided by, any physician or other health providers posting on or otherwise referred to on this Site and/or any Third Party Site. Never disregard the medical advice of your physician or health professional, or delay in seeking such advice, because of something you read on this Site. We offer this Site AS IS and without any warranties.  Correspondence: vicgoyaram@gmail.com

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Bodybuilding Documentaries.Shortlisted by Veeraj Goyaram

Free Bodybuilding Documentaries

Recommended By Bodybuilding Mauritius

1. FACING GOLIATH

A middle aged, over weight, man discovers he is losing his remaining vision. To help him cope, a natural competitive bodybuilder challenges him to take on a physical transformation and enter the world of competitive bodybuilding.

Link for "Facing Goliath" on YouTube

2. AFGHAN MUSCLES

The young men of Afghanistan have discovered the art of bodybuilding. In a country ravaged by war, these men still hold on to their dreams; dreams of muscle, honour and fame - absolute control of the body in a world of chaos. From the dusty ruins of Kabul to the skyline of Dubai we follow the bodybuilder Hamid's heroic struggle to gather food and proteins, hoping to win the championship and thereby create a better life for himself and his clan. But nothing goes as planned; Welcome to "Afghan Muscles" - a different and groundbreaking portrait of Afghanistan after 9/11

Link for "Afghan Muscles" on YouTube

3. BIGGER STRONGER FASTER

The documentary examines the steroid use of the director Christopher Bell and his two brothers who all grew up idolizing Arnold Schwarzenegger, Hulk Hogan, and Sylvester Stallone, and also features professional athletes, medical experts, fitness center members, and US Congressman talking about the issue of anabolic steroids. Beyond the basic issue of anabolic steroid use, Bigger, Stronger, Faster* examines the lack of consistency in how America views drugs, cheating, and the lengths people go to achieve success. This includes looking beyond the steroid issue to such topics as Tiger Woods laser eye correction to 20/15 vision, professional musicians use of anxiety reducing drugs, or athletes' dependence on cortisone shots, which are a legal steroid. The film also takes a skeptical examination on claims to the health risks of steroids and is highly critical of the legal health supplement industry.

Link for "Bigger Stronger Faster" on YouTube

4. EVOLUTION OF BODYBUILDING

Hear it straight from the Legends themselves with their stories of success and heartbreak. EVOLUTION OF BODYBUILDING offers a unique and closeup look at what it takes to compete in the "Mr. Olympia", and how the industry has changed over the past 50 years.

Shawn Ray conducted all of the interviews in which most of the past winners of the Mr. Olympia title tell us the story and their views on what happened at the time. These are the guys who actually lived the Olympia history!

This DVD takes you on a magic journey from Larry Scott explaining the origin of the Mr. Olympia title, through many of the past winners such as Frank Zane to Lee Haney, Dorian Yates, Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler to the current Mr. Olympia Phil Heath.

Link for "Evolution of bodybuilding" on YouTube

5. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC: THE SCIENCE OF STEROIDS

It is one of the most controversial issues of our day, jeopardizing the health and smearing the reputations of Olympians, professional sports players and even high school athletes. The government has declared them illegal without a prescription, athletes call them unfair, and some doctors say they are potentially deadly. What are the real dangers of these drugs? We've seen what's happening outside the body; now NGC reveals what's happening inside the body, in the Science of Steroids.

Link for "Science of Steroids" on YouTube

6. MY PARADOX UK BODYBUILDING DOCUMENTARY BY KEVAN WILSON

We spent the next few months filming Kevan at the gym and at home on the build up to competition, with him and Danny who he was training at that time.  After the competitions John set about editing the program.  We had spoke the Community Channel about a few ideas but we were unable to finish those projects. We were asked do you have anything else? Our response was well a Bodybuilding Documentary. The Community Channel watched it and broadcast in September 2012.

Link to Part 1
Link to Part 2

7. LOU FERRIGNO-STAND TALL

Stand Tall is a 1997 documentary about bodybuilding in the same vein as Pumping Iron. The movie centers on Lou Ferrigno's battle with hearing loss and his rise to prominence on the world bodybuilding stage. Bodybuilding legends Joe Weider and Arnold Schwarzenegger also appear in the film, as well as notable bodybuilders like Robby Robinson.

Link for Stand Tall

8. RAW IRON: THE MAKING OF PUMPING IRON

A documentary on the making of "Pumping Iron" to celebrate its 25th anniversary. Aired on Cinemax

Link to Raw Iron

9. PUMPING IRON II: THE WOMEN

Pumping Iron II: The Women (1985) is a documentary film about female bodybuilding, focusing on several women as they prepare for and compete in the 1983 Caesars World Cup.

Pumping Iron II was made as a follow-up to the groundbreaking 1977 film Pumping Iron. The Caesars World Cup was a contest created specifically for the film. The competitors were a mix of professional and amateur bodybuilders, which was actually a violation of IFBB rules. Charles Gaines, one of the writers of the film, was included on the contest's judging panel. He was interviewed for the movie but not identified, and had never previously seen a female bodybuilding contest.

Link for Pumping Iron 2: The women

10. SUPERSET ME

Daniel Widdowson lives the life of a body builder for 3 months in order to study the internal, external, psychological, and social effects of the sport.

This film introduces the average male into the all consuming world that is body building.

ANY MORE "DOCOS" YOU'D LIKE TO ADD TO THIS LIST?

LET US KNOW!

Join us for discussions on our facebook group
Free advice & daily bodybuilding talk
Your #1 Bodybuilding destination in Mauritius 

BODYBUILDING MAURITIUS

_________________________________________________________________________

©,2013, Veeraj Goyaram, Bodybuilding Mauritius. Any reprinting in any type of media is prohibited.

Disclaimer: The Content on this site is intended to be used for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to be and should not be interpreted as medical advice or a diagnosis of any health or fitness problem, condition or disease; or a recommendation for a specific test, doctor, care provider, procedure, treatment plan, product, or course of action. BODYBUILDING MAURITIUS is not a medical or healthcare provider and your use of this site does not create a doctor / patient relationship. We disclaim all responsibility for the professional qualifications and licensing of, and services provided by, any physician or other health providers posting on or otherwise referred to on this Site and/or any Third Party Site. Never disregard the medical advice of your physician or health professional, or delay in seeking such advice, because of something you read on this Site. We offer this Site AS IS and without any warranties.  Correspondence: vicgoyaram@gmail.com

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OxyElite Pro Under FDA investigation. By Veeraj Vic Goyaram

Supplement Update

OxyElite Pro Under FDA investigation

By Veeraj Vic Goyaram

The popular fat loss supplement OxyELITE Pro is currently under FDA investigation following its probable involvement in the staggering 24 cases of liver damage that have been recorded in Hawaii, USA. Meanwhile, USP Labs, the manufacturer has also stopped distribution of the product until further notice and as expected the mainstream media has obtained yet another opportunity to write negatively about supplements.

DMAA again?

DMAA is one ingredient which has always been held responsible in recent cases of stimulant supplement-induced health problems. Consequently, the use of DMAA has been discontinued in supplements (e.g. as either DMAA or Geranium oil in fat burners and pre-workouts) although it may still be found in certain countries where legislation still lags behind. This topic was covered in our article (Click to read). In the Hawaii case, USP labs maintain that the original OxyElie Pro version with DMAA has been discontinued since early 2013.

Are we dealing with fakes, maybe?

The fact that this cluster of issues happened in Hawaii and nowhere else in the world is quite perplexing. If USP Labs was intentionally "faking" its products with DMAA then we should probably have obtained more cases due to the massive popularity of the product in question. Moreover, it is too early to incriminate the manufacturer as FDA needs to complete the investigation although "when shit happens" the finger is always firstly pointed at the manufacturer. However, given the high prevalence of counterfeiting in the supplement world, it is not unlikely that some idiot has made fake OxyElite with more of whatever is causing liver issues in it. It is far too easy to make fake nutritional supplements. Even in Mauritius and India I have heard cases of users reporting that their isolate whey protein looks more like cowmilk than a proper isolate shake.

The USP Labs statement

"The company stands by the safety of all of its products. The company is cooperating with FDA on reports coming out of Hawaii. The cluster of liver issues in Hawaii is a complete mystery and nothing like this has ever been associated with OxyELITE Pro in all of the years our products have been in the market. We know of no credible evidence linking OxyELITE Pro to liver issues. The ingredients have been studied for safety, are consumed in the food supply and widely used in dietary supplements. The studies and consumption history show no negative liver issues. Due to multiple products within the OxyELITE Pro brand, it may be confusing as to which products are being looked at. The specific products are the original OxyELITE Pro with DMAA, OxyELITE Pro with the “Purple Top” and OxyELITE Pro Super Thermo Powder. The original version with DMAA has not been manufactured or distributed since early 2013. Out of an abundance of caution, the company has ceased domestic distribution of OxyElite Pro with the Purple Top and OxyElite Pro Super Thermo Powder until the investigation has been completed. The company continues to believe these versions are safe and are not the cause of the cluster of liver toxicity that has occurred in Hawaii."

What's our advice?

• We always advise to play it safe when it comes to stimulant-based fat burners. Asses your sensitivity to stimulants first before proceeding. Especially with proprietary blends, you don't really know how much of stimulants you are ingesting. For instance when DMAA was in supplements, nobody knew how much DMAA was included per serving. Some had 20 times more than what was listed on the labels.

• Stick to reputable brands. Do not buy any supplements which look doubtful, fake or with any sign of tampering (mardaille).

• If you have purchased OxyElite Pro it would be best to proceed with caution. It is advisable to stay away until the FDA issues a clearance. USP labs have stopped distribution of the product anyway

Check us out for further updates on this situation as they become available.

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