2021: The Year in Review
2021: The Year in Review
Limitless Bodybuilding by PJ Braun
As I write this article, switching gears from what I normally write about, so much reflection has come to me that I have decided to do this in three ways. I am going to break down the year for me personally; the world as I see it; and of course for all the readers who love hardcore bodybuilding, I am going to get into a hardcore topic that has plagued bodybuilding for years and I have never had a true sounding board for it until now.
Overcoming Hardships
So, let’s start with me. As I wrote in my first-ever column I had gone through quite a damn lot my first 40 years on earth. A lot of hardships, struggles, heartbreak, loss, and near-death situations but I have been resilient and constantly overcome. After the shutdown of 2020, dealing with Mercury poisoning, and not getting better do to an undetected autoimmune disease, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) bacteria wreaking havoc on my gut, and having to go through major treatments and infusions for nonstop iron deficiencies, I finally started feeling healthy in February when I had my 40th birthday. Normally I hate my birthday, but this one was big, not because of the milestone age, but because of finally feeling sorta like “me” again. At that point I went through a lot of headaches moving, having major changes to the staff at Blackstone Labs, and just life itself being harder than I expected after such a shitty 2020 being so ill.
Finally in the first week of July, I made it out to Vegas for a week of content with my athletes, a podcast and even some time with Jay Cutler, where I gave him a custom shirt that said “Stack it to the Ceiling,” a quote from Cutler to me when I first started hustling with Blackstone Labs years ago. This was a special moment for me because with the exception to my dad, Jay cutler is the only man I ever aspired to be like, and now after meeting him 20 years ago, I am proud to call him my friend. You guys should check out the “Stack it to the Ceiling” YouTube video to see me and Jay together sharing the story!
Biggest Challenge of My Life
After Vegas I came home with a new motivation and excitement to get back into the gym. Not just any gym, The Blackstone Labs Home Gym, built right at our office with all of my favorite equipment! Not open for memberships; just staff and athletes. It has been AMAZING. Let me tell you, “muscle memory” is a beautiful thing and I haven’t had to go too hard making quick gains back to my old self, and each day is more and more exciting as I prepare for the biggest challenge of my life, my upcoming FDA trial that has been taking shape for over four years. As I focus on that I have seen a lot of things really frustrate me with the current status of the world.
Worldwide Crisis
Currently we are in a very major crisis worldwide between the pandemic, fights over vaccines and mandates, more and more restrictions, unemployment through the roof and a world that is truly in a scary state of chaos. One major issue that has affected not just myself, Blackstone Labs and the entire fitness industry, but has screwed things up for all commerce, is the issues with the supply chain. Most of what we import in the supplement world comes from China. China has slowed production of everything and because of the backups in the ports from the Covid-19 restrictions, there are hundreds of ships sitting in the ocean for months filled with all the raw materials and goods we need to keep the industry going. This has put many companies out of business because they no longer have product to manufacture and sell. On top of that, it has caused major inflation issues on everything. To give you an example, a kilo of sucralose (Splenda) has been $25 for years but is now up to $49 because supply is so limited. Things as simple and basic as creatine monohydrate are short and out of supply everywhere! Fortunately, my company has really stocked up, but we aren’t just “giving it away” to people who have never done business before and this type of scenario is going on in all industry! I have high hopes that Florida opening up its ports changes things because if it does not, you will see it getting harder and harder to get your favorite supplements … and frankly everything else.
Changing of the Guard
Now to get into bodybuilding and fitness, let me start by saying this year we saw a very exciting “changing of the guard” with young guys like Hunter Labrada, Nick Walker and Iain Valliere making major moves winning shows and getting in the mix at the Olympia. This is very exciting and although I think it’s still a battle for the top Between Big Ramy and Brandon Curry, with Hadi Choopan being judged perhaps “harder because of his height,” having the third place spot on lock (many would argue him for second or first), who will be the one who pushes for the crown in a few years?! Time will tell but in Classic Physique, I just don’t see anyone beating Bumstead for perhaps ever, which makes the 212 division VERY exciting because now we have a new Mr. Olympia in Derek Lunsford, who many were calling boldly “The Next Flex Lewis” for that class. He’s young and has a lot of talent, but we have some new guys making moves as well.
With that I want to get into my favorite part of 2021. My favorite part of this year was taking over the prep of my best friend of 20 years, Guy Cisternino, for his final show. Coming full circle and being one of my sponsored athletes, I knew our “Rocky Balboa of bodybuilding” was sadly calling it quits after all these years winning shows and competing at the Olympia (eight times) because his body just gave out before his heart did. We had an amazing time and we brought him in his best in years. However, tragedy struck that weekend at his last show in Tampa and we lost an industry legend, “Mountain Dog” John Meadows. This was Guy’s trainer for three years and his true friend. The news that weekend crushed so many, but it hit Guy especially hard because John had been training him and providing him love and support through his whole journey and he missed his last text to him on show day. He said to me, “I want to do one more for John and finish out my best!” So we went to Texas a week later and did just that! It was amazing and I will never forget it. Guy should have won that show, but regardless he was his best! Guy gave a tear-jerking impromptu retirement speech and we came home to hang our heads in silence and remember.
Heartbreaking Scenario
I’m not going to apologize for wrapping up this way, but this was not a direct bodybuilding-related death, however we had one right after with George Peterson (RIP) at the Olympia and that one was heartbreaking because the scenario has happened time and time again. Speculate all you want, but the things the top bodybuilders will do to “be the best on show day can often be deadly,” and it has happened over and over again. If we continue to reward this type of look, the death toll will keep climbing and we will see more young men dying. This year we also lost a woman for similar reasons. This may ruffle a lot of feathers but the whole purpose of my column is to teach LONGEVITY so you can do what you love, not just to make money, but to live long and happy doing it! Coincidentally, my article this month was going to be on how to properly read blood work, so you can expect that next month. George was a tremendous competitor and a wonderful guy. My heart goes out to his entire family and loved ones. I wish we would see this trend stop, but we won’t, because I guess that would make it less … hardcore.
It’s an honor for me to write this column each month and I am here to stay, so love me or hate me, I hope you can learn that I am truly here to help in any way I can, and that’s the point of this. I want to open your eyes and minds!
Happy holidays and a happy New Year! I’ll be back in 2022 with my first article, “How to read Blood Work And What to Look For.”
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