Written by Branch Warren
09 October 2006

 

            I am the only bodybuilder at my gym. Even though it's a Gold's Gym, a franchise started by a bodybuilder for bodybuilders, our kind is not welcome.  I've been approached by the manager several times about not wearing tights or boots on leg day, not wearing knit caps or ‘do rags because it's a "thug" look, and asked not to make too much noise.  Trust me, Branch, I am not one of those morons who screams while doing curls with 10-pound dumbbells, but I can't help it if I'm on my last couple of reps of squats with 455 or deadlifts with 405. I even go out of my way to put the weights down slowly so they don't make too much noise. I would go somewhere else, but this is the only gym around that I know of with decent equipment and dumbbells over 100. I guess I'm not really asking for advice, because I've learned how to appease this idiot manager, who is also a Spinning instructor and weighs about 150 pounds soaking wet. I just wanted to know if you ever trained somewhere you knew you weren't really welcome, and how you dealt with it.

            Have I ever trained at a place where I knew I was unwelcome? Absolutely. I bet any bodybuilder has. I've been at a lot of places over the years, and whether it's a Bally's or a Gold's, very often bodybuilders get a chilly reception. It's like they don't really want anyone to actually use the weights and they really freak out if you train heavy and make a little noise. I'm sure they would feel a lot more comfortable if everyone just used nice light weights and didn't work up a sweat. My training partner, Jay [Cutler], has been kicked out of many gyms and health clubs for his training intensity. He's actually the only guy I know to ever get kicked out of Metroflex, though I can't tell you why.  If you ever see him at a show, maybe he'll tell you. (No, he didn't date the owner's daughter!). 

But regarding the attitude toward bodybuilders, I understand where it stems from. Not only are the managers of these places typically intimidated by anyone with a good amount of size and strength, they are more concerned about how the average members feel about you. Realize that 95 percent of the members in a mainstream health club like a Bally's or 24-Hour Fitness are out of shape, weak and flabby. Many are significantly overweight. Management worries that if they see a prime physical specimen, it will make them feel inadequate and they may start looking to go somewhere else where they don't have to be reminded about their physical condition and "judged." 

Personally, I think it should be just the opposite. You would think having people in great shape would motivate people to want to work out more consistently and put a little more effort into it. The TV commercials for these big chain fitness centers always show men and women in dynamite shape with six-packs and tight bodies. You don't actually see too many people who look like these fitness models in the actual clubs, of course- they would probably be asked not to train so hard and sweat so much! 

My best advice is to look around at some smaller, private gyms in your area. You might even post on some Internet message boards for referrals, because often these places don't advertise. They cater to the hardcore clientele, such as powerlifters and bodybuilders, and aren't trying to fill the place up with 1,000 bodies. Even though the private gyms are small, they usually have all the equipment you need to get big and strong, tons of free weights with power racks, deadlift platforms and heavy dumbbells. The best part is that you can train to your heart's content without the distractions of less intense members or hand-wringing management breathing down your neck and asking you to keep the noise down and not put so much weight on the bar.

 

            Like most bodybuilders, I eat a lot of red meat. I will have steak about three times a week and ground-beef burritos another two or three times. I always felt really strong when I ate red meat and made good gains in size, too. Recently, Mike Matarazzo had triple bypass heart surgery and he blamed his blockage on all the red meat he ate over the years. Now, I'm really worried and have temporarily cut way back to just having sirloin tips or something once a week when I go out.  What do you think about red meat, Branch? Do you worry about all the cholesterol and saturated fat being unhealthy for you? I don't feel as strong eating chicken breasts and tuna, but I don't want to have a heart attack at age 35, either.

            Obviously, nobody wants to have a heart attack, ever. As for Mike Matarazzo's unfortunate episode, I wouldn't be so sure red meat was the primary cause. More and more studies are showing that heart disease is largely a genetic issue that some people are predisposed to. Mike exercised religiously and was in fantastic physical condition and still had heart problems.  Then you hear about these people who drink, smoke and eat salty, fatty foods their whole lives and never have anything go wrong with their bodies.

Personally, I agree with you about red meat making you stronger and it also makes your muscles look fuller- that could partly be from the creatine in it. Now that I'm trying to get my weight back after my triceps surgery, I eat red meat three times a day. My serving sizes are 16 ounces or more, and I go for the leaner cuts like top sirloin or filet. I think as long as you eat right  (a few servings a day of raw veggies would be a good idea) and limit your junk food, you'll be okay. Red meat has been getting an undeserved bad rap for years, and that's starting to change as scientists learn more about what really causes heart disease. And of course, you want to be getting regular check-ups at least once a year, too, with blood work and an EKG test for heart function. Never think that because you're an athlete, you're indestructible.

 

I'm hoping you can help me out, because I have a physique problem I think you can relate to from your own past. My legs are huge. I've been competing since 1993, and I can only think of one show in which my legs weren't the best in my weight class (lightweight way back then, now light-heavyweight) by far. But my arms have always lagged behind, even though my torso is pretty thick. To give you an idea, right now I'm an off-season 230 pounds at 5-7. My thighs are just shy of 30 inches, my chest is over 50, but my arms are only 18-1/2! When I diet down, they're only 17-3/4, pretty sad, I know. I think I've tried everything for them, but that's probably not true. As someone who has had to fight to get his arms up to match big legs, what words of wisdom can you offer?

            Yes, I did have the same exact problem, but I guess you missed the articles in MD where I explained how I solved it, so I'll recap. For a full nine months before the 2001 Nationals, where I earned my pro card, I did not train legs at all. Instead, I put all my focus into my upper body and added enough thickness so that I was no longer bottom-heavy.  It had to be done, and looking back now, I know it was the only solution. This is what you have to do, as well.  It won't be easy, because you probably love leg training just like I do. You will also lose a little bit of size and fullness in your lower body, but that's a good thing. Currently your body is out of proportion, and this is part of why your arms look even smaller than they really are.

 Downsizing your quads and bringing up your arms is going to dramatically improve your symmetry. It did for me. I even did it again for two months before my pro debut at the Night of Champions last year. Bodybuilding isn't about just putting on muscle anywhere you can. Balance and proportion should always be on your mind when you look in the mirror. If you must do something for your legs, just do high-rep leg extensions and leg curls once a week, nothing too demanding. 

Meanwhile, hit your arms twice a week and try all kinds of crazy routines for them, things totally different from what you've tried in the past (scour a few issues of MD and I bet you'll find a few good ones). No matter how nutty they may seem, I guarantee you're going to stumble across a couple of techniques that get your guns growing. And with your arms bigger and your legs a little smaller, you should no longer be that guy in the show who had the best legs, but the guy with the best physique, period. Believe me, I know how tired you can get about hearing how great your legs are. After a while it almost starts feeling like an insult.

 

            Is it possible to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time for a natural trainer? If so, what are the key points as far as diet, supplements and cardio that one should follow?

I know it's possible, because I've accomplished it with many of my personal training clients over the years. The key as far as your nutrition goes is to not overdiet. Many guys cut their calories way too low when they're trying to lose fat, and they wind up losing size. Always keep your protein high and be sure to take in enough healthy fats, which can come from foods like salmon or nuts, or in supplement form as flaxseed oil, evening primrose oil, omega-3 caps, or CLA. Be sure to eat six or seven small meals a day, and that can include bars and shakes.

Don't go too low on carbs, either. Drug-free bodybuilders, in particular, need a certain amount of carbohydrates to support training and recovery, or else they lose mass. Supplements like whey protein (Nitro-Tech is my favorite) and L-Glutamine are important for keeping you in an anabolic state as opposed to slipping into catabolism. When it comes to your weight training and cardio, you have to be very careful not to overdo it. Four days of weight training a week is probably all you need, and five should be the upper limit. Your weight workouts should only be about an hour long, maybe an hour and fifteen minutes at most.

The same idea of moderation should also apply to your cardio. You should do anywhere from three to six weekly sessions of 30 to 45 minutes, but that's it. Many a natural trainer has withered away to a stick figure from cardio overkill. I have to be honest and tell you that your chances are always better at adding muscle and losing fat simultaneously if you are new to training or returning after a long layoff. But with proper attention to diet, supplements and recovery, it can be done.

 

            I have decided I want to be a personal trainer, but one thing concerns me. It seems like all the trainers I have seen are "fitness" types, who are athletic but not very big or strong, and have their clients screwing around on balls and wobble boards. I have been a serious weight trainer for close to 15 years and I believe in hard work on free weight basics like squats, bench presses, weighted dips and chins and so on.  I'm 240 pounds at six-foot, though I have never competed. I'm just worried that potential clients might be scared off by my size, and that the ones who aren't will be put off by how basic my training style is and won't want to work that hard. You have been a successful personal trainer for some time Branch, so how did you overcome those two challenges?   

            I was just talking to someone today about all the gimmicks out there- the balls and the other gadgets many trainers are using to keep their clients amused and impressed at how "up to date" their methods are. I'm not into this whole specific "core training" concept and I will put any one of my clients up against someone who has trained on all the balls and teeter-totter boards. My clients work hard on free weight basics, and nothing builds your core strength like those.

As for you intimidating potential clients because you're a big, muscular guy, I can tell you from experience that your build is an asset. It shows you practice what you preach and clients do appreciate someone who looks the part. I would never pay someone to train me who looks like a regular guy or girl off the street, would you? I have four trainers working out of my private gym and they are all in fantastic physical condition. I actually require that if they want to work at my place, because it sets them apart from the sea of trainers who aren't anything special physically. Your size doesn't have to intimidate or threaten.

Bear in mind that the way people perceive you will hinge entirely on how you carry and present yourself. Smile and be outgoing and polite to everyone in the gym. Don't scowl or glare like you hate the world. Make it a point to learn people's names and greet them every day. And of course, your clients will all have different needs and goals, so you won't train them all on the same type of program. You should train men and women differently, older and younger clients differently, etc. Each client's routine has to be tailored to his or her individual abilities, goals and experience levels. The bottom line is always going to be results. If your clients see results from training under your guidance, they will stay with you. If not, they will move on. But you have my vote of confidence. I think you're going to make a very good trainer and have a successful business if you go into it with the right attitude. Remember that you have to have total confidence in your ability to succeed, or else no one else will have confidence in you.

 

Training Journal

February, 2005

 

            MD Gives Me My First Cover

            I think every bodybuilder who competes dreams of appearing on the cover of a magazine. That's been a goal of mine since I was a teenager, and now it's finally happened. Flex Wheeler called me a couple of weeks ago to ask some questions for his column, and then broke the news to me that he had seen an advance issue of the March 2005 Muscular Development with me on the cover. I tell you, I almost felt like a teenager again over the next couple of days until the FedEx came from MD's office in Long Island, New York, with my copy. I was so excited when it finally arrived and I ripped it open. Wow! I stared at it for a good five minutes, just soaking it in. The interview inside that I did with Ron Harris had the studio shots I took with Per Bernal at the GNC show against a white backdrop, and I was very impressed with how they came out.  Per is definitely one of the world's best physique photographers, and these just might be the best pictures ever taken of me. Thanks to Steve Blechman for giving me my very first cover. It's something I will never forget. 

 

            We Can Rebuild Him!

            Due to my triceps tear and the surgery I had to repair it, I was unable to train from the time of the GNC show back in October until just after New Year's this year. In that time, I went from 265 pounds down to 239. That might still seem pretty big for a guy 5-foot-7, but I was going insane watching my body shrink from inactivity as the weeks went on and stretched into a full three months. I'm so grateful to be able to train again, you have no idea. This past week was a very good one, as I made significant jumps in strength. I have no pain in my elbow and the arm has regained a full range of motion. I have been doing all the rehab on my own, because nobody knows my body better than I do. I'm getting very close to my normal weights and intensity, though of course, I am still being very careful.

             I should note that I could have been training legs this whole time, but I chose not to. Those suckers would just get too big again and I would be stuck trying to play catch-up with my upper body like in the old days. No thanks. I was really nervous about whether I would be able to get all my size back in time for the New York Pro show, but now I'm feeling more at ease. Since I started training again just over a month ago, I have put on 12 or 13 pounds and I just have another 15 to go and I'll be ready. Thank God for muscle memory. I know it's going to be a big show, as it always is, with over 40 guys onstage. I honestly don't even think about the other guys, because that's pointless. All I can do is focus on my training and come in better than last year. I have no control over what anyone else is going to look like.

 

            The Triceps Secret

            Apparently, a lot of people were surprised when I broke the news about my triceps tear and surgery in the premier edition of my column in the March MD. Like I said, I had kept very quiet about it and only my family and close friends knew what had happened. I didn't want to give my competitors at the GNC a psychological advantage, or give the judges something to look for.  The arm lost close to two inches while it was in a cast following the surgery, but more than half of that is back now. Notice I am not saying which arm was injured? My goal is for nobody to be able to tell in New York, unless they get up real close and see the scar. But with all the tanning stuff on, it's going to be almost impossible.

 

            Bring Our Troops Home

            Finally, I want to express my support and respect for all our brave soldiers stationed in Iraq right now. I get e-mails from fans over there and do my best to respond as quickly as I can, though sometimes I get caught up in business and don't get to my computer for a while. But when it's a U.S. soldier, I always write back. Come home safe, guys and girls. That's all I want to say to you.

 

Got a question for Branch? E-mail it to him through www.musculardevelopment.com