Known as Canada’s #1 bodybuilder, Pakulski has earned himself the title of being one of the top 15 bodybuilders in the world.

“Ben is one of the youngest rising stars in the IFBB,” FLEX Editor-in-Chief Allan Donnelly said. “He’s a next-generation mass monster and the fans love him. He’ll be a force to be reckoned with in the very near future.

“I am so honored and privileged to be part of the ALLMAX team,” said newly signed Team ALLMAX member Ben Pakulski. “I have been using ALLMAX products since I began my bodybuilding career because of their reputation for a high standard of quality.

“I wanted to align myself with a company with a great deal of credibility and integrity to maintain a great reputation in the sport, while still growing and moving forward. ALLMAX is a perfect fit for me. We both have clear visions of where we see ourselves in the next few years. It is a blessing to have found a company that not only wants to be at the top of their game but has the true potential to reach it.

“I love the team and can’t wait for the amazing things we will be able to accomplish together as we ascend the ranks of the health and muscle-building world, together.”

BPak, as he is affectionately known, placed 5th at the 2011 Flex Pro and was a top 10 bodybuilder in the prestigious 2011 Arnold Classic. Pakulski has been recognized as having some of the best legs and delts in the sport of bodybuilding. Many bodybuilding experts feel that Pakulski has everything he needs to be a top Olympian contender. In time he is going to be a real threat on the IFBB circuit.

ALLMAX is truly honored to have a top athlete like Ben Pakulski, who is not only extremely knowledgeable about training, nutrition and supplementation but who is also a great person.

By R. Knight

It may be premature to talk about the future of Women’s Physique.  Since the division is barely three years old and they just crowned its first Ms. Physique Olympia champion only four months ago.  But let’s face it, Dana Linn Bailey(DLB) can’t win it forever.  So, who is going to be the next star Women’s Physique can put their faith in?  They can start by showing some love for Erykah Blockman.

Erykah Blockman is an outgoing, young lass.  Who can give DLB her money’s worth.  Blockman may not have DLB’s social media presence(At least not yet.).  But, she has all the traits of DLB without coming off as annoying or conceited.  She is an unique beauty and slowly making the powers that be take notice.

Blockman, 26, started her fitness competition “career” on a whim.  When she participated in the 2010 Flex Model Bikini Search.  Which was held during Olympia weekend.  Although, she didn’t place in the event.  It would be the start of her road into becoming an IFBB pro.

In 2011, Blockman entered the NPC Emerald Cup.  One of the NPC’s most prestigious regional shows, she competed in Women’s Bodybuilding and Figure.  While she placed a lowly eighth in the lightweight class in bodybuilding.  She won her class in Figure.  Her next competition was the 2011 NPC Sacramento.  Where she again won her class.  She ended the year with a fifth place finish at the 2011 NPC Nationals.

In 2012, Blockman once again entered the NPC Emerald Cup and again competed in two divisions.  This time, she competed in Figure and Women’s Physique(WP).  Women’s Physique was at the Emerald Cup for the first time.  She defended her class title in Figure.  While she placed third in her class in WP.  Blockman went back to the NPC Nationals.  Where again, she placed fifth in her Class A Figure class.

In 2013, feeling that she had gone as far as she could in Figure.  Blockman decided that she would concentrate on Women’s Physique exclusively.  As she skipped the Emerald Cup, upped her training and set her sights on the 2013 NPC Junior Nationals in Chicago.  When she stepped on stage in Chicago, it was appearant that she was the odds on favorite to win.  Her back and her posing was far superior from the rest and she easily won her class and the overall in Women’s Physique. Which also won her IFBB Pro status.  It was now obvious that a WP star was in the making.

She made her pro debut two months later, at the IFBB Europa Supershow in Dallas, Texas.  Where she placed a respectable sixth.

Blockman was born in California, but now calls Beaverton, Oregon home.  Known as “spitfire” to her friends, she is a licensed paramedic and former firefighter.  She is now a popular personal  trainer.  She is a Liquid Sun Rayz sponsored athlete and a sales representative for Cyclone Cup shakers.  She is also the fraternal twin sister of NPC Bikini competitor, Sondra Blockman.  Who once caused a small storm at the 2012 NPC Nationals for some provocative posing.

It is expected that Ms. Blockman will start her 2014 competitive season at the Emerald Cup on April 26.  Where a pro show will be held for the first time.  Since, she has won there before.  It should be no surprise to see Blockman hold up the winner’s trophy again.  This time, it comes with an invitation to Vegas in late September.  In which case, the future is now.

http://www.facebook.com/erykah.blockman

MuscleWeek: Tell us a little about yourself, Rob. Where did you grow up? What do you do for a living?

Rob Krieder: I grew up in southern Maryland. Very rural and country. My grandfather, who was a farmer, gave my parents a few acres to build a house on and that is where they still are living to this day. I get most of my genetics from my grandfather. Hard working man, with huge arms and forearms and a heart of gold.

I have been running a personal training business since 1998, RK BODIES (www.rkbodies.com). I managed health clubs and was a fitness director as well, but I got tired of making the clubs a lot of money, and I myself, only seeing a fraction of that. I’ve always done things my way, and always will.

MW: How did you fall into this cult known as the competitive bodybuilding world? Was sand kicked in your face, too like most of us?

Nope, no sand kicked in my face. I was the stocky kid in school. During lunch, we would always have arm wrestling challenges and me and another kid were the champs.

I picked up a Muscle and Fitness and Flex magazine at a 7-11 when I was about 14 and read those suckers from front to back. I had no idea what they were talking about, but I did my best to apply it all in the basement of my parents house using my fathers sand weights. I kept educating myself through magazines and Arnold’s Encyclopedia of Body Building. I grossly over trained for a couple of years trying to emulate the pro’s routines, not realizing they were all juiced up. It wasn’t until Dorian Yates came on to the scene and his high intensity/low volume approach became popular. The more rest I gave myself, the more I grew.

MW: Would you say you are now over the hump? On your way UP the hump one constantly worries about their nitrogen balance and thinks whey protein will help “build muscle”. Over the hump means if you miss a meal you know you’re not going to shrivel up and drop 60lbs and evaporate into nothing. It means you put your fanny pack away and don’t look down on men with hair on their legs. Which side of the hump are you on?

RK: I was obsessed at an early age, and I am glad I grew out of that quickly. I am educated, with a Bachelors in Exercise Physiology (Cum Laude), so I got over the hump a long time ago. I don’t look down upon anyone. Fanny packs, bad bad memories. How about tight skinz pants back in the day as well. Funny shit.

MW: Did you at one point have a true interest in winning a pro card?

RK: I still do. I hope to obtain that fucker in 2013 at Masters Nationals. I is just a personal goal, one I have had since I was a kid. I have experienced everything a pro body builder has already, except the pro card. I have been sponsored by Twinlab, MHP, MuscleTech and now Big Bitch Formula (www.bigbitchformula.com), I have traveled the country, working booths at show, tons of photo shoots, interviews, videos, magazines cover and features etc etc. I have done it all pretty much. Has it changed me or made me a better man? Not really, but it has made me realize body building isn’t a mean to an end. I will never make a career of body building. I just enjoy doing it. I wouldn’t have competed in over 30 contests in 20 years if I didn’t.

MW: What would have that really given you besides an annual bill to “renew” it?

RK: To pay for your pro card in the first place is the most absurd thing EVER. It may help my business slightly with the added title of IFBB pro body builder. That’s about it.

MW: Do you dabble in seedy ways to make money like majority higher level competitive bodybuilders do? You don’t have a pseudonym somewhere in cyberspace such as Zeus Maximus, do you?

RK: Too fucking funny. I have had so many people contact me for private posing, web cam shit etc. I have morals. I couldn’t live with myself if I did any of that crap. The only person I have a pseudonym for is my fiance. Gotta keep things new and exciting right ? lol

MW: It’s public knowledge now in the bodybuilding world over your distaste and mishap with hiring George Farah. You claim he was not invested in you and was very flaky like a typical bodybuilder despite your handsome payment to him. Tell us a little about that.

RK: We had a run in down in South Beach, Miami this past Nationals. I paid him for 16 weeks of contest prep. I heard from him the first 4 weeks and didn’t hear a peep until our paths crossed in Miami. I asked what happened ? He said what do you mean? I said, I haven’t heard from you in 12 weeks. He tried to turn it around on me, I haven’t heard from you. I said, George I paid you to be my coach, if you don’t hear from me, wouldn’t you feel obligated to at least check in with me ? He said, I lost your email. Someone broke into my garage/car and stole my lap top. I shook my head, knowing you don’t need your lap top to access your address book. I said, you have my number also. He said no I don’t. I showed my phone with his number on it. I said look, I am not hear to argue, can I get a refund, since I feel I paid for a service that I didn’t get ? He said, yeah sure, whatever to make it better. Have I seen any type of refund ?? NOPE. After my radio interview on RX MUSCLE, in which I told the same story, he probably got his panties all up in a bunch.

MW: What possessed you to hire George in the first place? Why George over somebody else such as a Chris Aceto or “Diamond” Dave Palumbo?

RK: I was going to go with Palumbo. The dude is pretty smart. However, a couple good friends of mine suggested Farah, so I did. I thought you get what you pay for ($1500) and Palumbo was much cheaper. Boy was I wrong. I may work with Palumbo for the 2013 Nationals, but to be honest, no one knows my body better than I do. I did consult with someone this past Nationals who was good, but if I had done things my way the final couple of days, I would have done much better.

MW: Is competitive bodybuilding in your future cards still?

RK: Indeed. I love this shit. I don’t give a flying fuck where the judges place me. I won’t kiss anyone’s ass either for a better placing. I do this to challenge myself. It is always a journey I enjoy. It is like therapy I suppose. Until I find another hobby/activity that challenges me in the same way, I will always be a body builder.

MW: What frustrates you the most with the way competitive bodybuilding is governed by the Usual Suspects and power brokers?

RK: Politics man…just politics. During the run in with Farah, he said I had a guy in your weight class place in the top five. I said who? I wont name names, but he said he placed fifth. I knew who it was and threw my arms up in the air and said, well that explains it. That is the only way someone with a fat ass and zero conditioning could make it in the top five.

MW: It seems like Men’s Physique is growing and bodybuilding is dwindling. Just look at the numbers. Why do you think more guys are choosing the Men’s Physique route?

RK: It is more mainstream. It is not as hard core. Body building has gone in the wrong direction the past 15 years. Bigger is not better. It has gone so far to the extreme that I don’t believe it will come back. But its the fans doing. No one wants to see a dude they see on the street every day. They want freaks. It is a freak show, but now the Physique division is great for the women admirers as well as the homosexual population. One thing about the NPC, they are smart business men.

MW: Competitive bodybuilding seems to be a game of alchemy, sorcery and chemical wizardry more than ever. I know of guys still on the local scene barely cracking the Top 5 in a light heavy class that use year around and exceed dosages up to 2g a week and possibly up to 10 unites of serostim daily. Is this facilitated by the way bodybuilding is governed?

RK: Its gone way way overboard. I say, if you don’t have the genetics to be a body builder, pick another hobby. You aren’t gonna make it past the local scene. People who use so much gear just on the local scene, make zero sense to me. This chemistry shit isn’t healthy. People are fucking with their long term health and longevity. I have learned the hard way regarding all of that also. Been there and done that with crazy dosages. I was strong, but bloated me, gave me high blood pressure and nose bleeds etc. Felt horrible all of the time. That ain’t fun to me. For the past several years, I have only touched stuff around contest time. If I cannot grow in the off season from eating lots, training like a beast, resting lots etc, then I am not cut out to be a body builder. Again it goes back to genetics man.

MW: Delusions of Grandeur seems to be an ailment affecting many competitive bodybuilders. In your early years of all of this did you think streets of gold and a lifestyle of a baller was waiting for you eventually?

RK: More people are realizing now that unless you are a Heath or a Cutler there is less than no money or opportunity for you. Like I said above, I have done it all except receive my pro card. It has helped my business etc. I know there isn’t a career in it for me. I learned this years ago. It’s all about balance. Most body builders are extremist for some reason or another. Body building is used to cover up insecurities as well. When something is done at one extreme, the other end of that extreme is waiting right around the corner. Universal balance man.

MW: You seem to be a smooth cat and Playa.  How many Figure girl Industry chick ass have you white washed?  Be honest.

RK: Out of respect and love for my fiance, I will not divulge that information. Let’s just say, I sowed oats here and there, when I was young, dumb and full of………BOOM !

MW: Is dating a competitor chick really all that? The ones I dated were all fit for a straight jacket and Thorazine drip.

RK: Chicks who get into the sport are just as fucked up as a lot of body builders. Covering up insecurities x 100. As for the ones who get on the juice, why the fuck do you want to have facial hair, a raspy deep voice, a manly face, zits, and a huge clit ? Well maybe the huge clit ain’t so bad for em. Easier to get off BOOM !

MW: Where does Rob Kreider see himself in five years?

RK: In 5 years, I will be married with kids, partnered with my boy Bobby Haire with Big Bitch Formula, kicking the supplement industry in the ass, and also opening a gym with him as well.

MW: Who are some of the best people in the bodybuilding industry that you admire and can actually call a friend?

RK: Mat Duvall, Troy Moore, Fred Smalls, Vinnie Galanti, Derek Farnsworth, Lee Priest.

MW: Who shouldn’t be expecting a Christmas card from you this year or anytime soon?

RK: George Farah !

MW: Marry. Fuck. Kill. Ready? Ava Cowan. Jessica Paxton. Erin Stern.

RK: I am engaged man brother. I wouldn’t marry or kill any of them, soooooo…….

MW: How can people get ahold of you for nutritional prep and contest coaching? Is there anything you’d like to plug? Feel free.

RK: My personal/business website is www.rkbodies.com. My sponsor Big Bitch Formula is gonna come on strong in 2012. The BEST tasting whey…ever. NO BS. www.bigbitchformula.com

MW: Name Association. I drop a name and in one word tell us what comes to mind.

George Farah: Fucking douche bag!

Steve Blechman: Wise

Steve Weinberger: The Godfather

Aaron Singerman: I don’t know who he is.

Arnold Schwarzenegger: Bodybuilding.

RK Bodies – Personal Training in Washington, DC, Bodybuilder, Model

It’s no secret that MuscleWeek Senior Editor Shane Ray gets around. The wives, girlfriends and ex-wives of many a Chicago bodybuilder can certainly attest to that. But what many readers may not know is that for many years, Shane was deathly afraid of flying. In fact, it wasn’t until his former girlfriend dragged him by his eyebrows to watch her compete at the 2009 USA that he finally overcame his aerophobia.

Lately, on MuscleWeek’s dime, he’s been traveling this great nation of ours meeting up with some of the largest and most interesting personalities in bodybuilding. So during a hiatus from crashing bachelorette parties with Joey Swoll and Craig Golias in Vegas, Shane sat down with an IFBB Pro who has been MIA for the past two years. Despite being a top 5 Olympian for several consecutive years, some might say that Gustavo Badell never really gained the respect that usually accompanies such a lofty position. So, drink in hand, Shane sat down in the Venetian Lobby to interview one of the top bodybuilders on the planet — Gustavo Badell.

Gustavo

MUSCLEWEEK: It’s an honor to have you sit down with MuscleWeek. No introduction needed. Tell us what’s new in your life. I understand you’re in Las Vegas now.

GUSTAVO BADELL: I’m in Las Vegas most of the time. I don’t know for how long, because I’m selling my house and trying to relocate to Florida. What’s new in my life is that I now have my own gym with a partner in Spain. I’m very excited to come back onstage and I’m concentrating all my energies in my prep.

MW: Las Vegas has a seriously vibrant and happening bodybuilding culture there. I don’t think it’s so much Venice Beach anymore. Is Las Vegas where you need to be training and focusing on bodybuilding? Does it not get distracting sometimes?

GB: I think Las Vegas has the most perfect fitness environment in the world. I enjoy very much preparing for contest here. I don’t get distracted in Las Vegas, actually I get more focus.

MW: The Mecca of bodybuilding gyms is Gold’s on Flamingo. LVAC being a close second. Which gym do you prefer and why? Is “Flamingo” your home?

GB: I love Gold’s Gym in Flamingo. The environment there is just fantastic! Not only for me but for anyone with a passion for the sport. I also train at the one in Eastern sometimes, which is closer to my house, or in occasion LVAC in Eastern, but there is none compared to “Flamingo”.

MW: You’ve been around the pro bodybuilding for a while. Some argue you most definitely peaking in the mid 2000’s with the 2004 & 2005 Mr. Olympia being your pinnacle. Do you feel you can duplicate that look and level of muscularity and conditioning again or are you going for something new for Gustavo Badell?

GB: After two years off stage I’m preparing for a new Gustavo Badell. I’m training hard, never cheat my diet, very strict with the plan. I have a lot of discipline and determination and with that I believe anything is possible, even to duplicate my best condition. We’ll see, but one thing is for sure, I’m hungry again and will come back strong to get my place back.

Gustavo Locker

MW: Your last show was in 2009 which was The Atlantic City Pro where you placed First and then you took a surprising 13th at the Olympia. Was taking almost 2 full years off strategic and part of the master plan or were you forced to take a step back for other reasons?

GB: After the 2009 Olympia, I was very upset and disappointed because all my hard work wasn’t getting me to where I expected, so I decided to take some time off and go adventure with some business opportunities presented. It wasn’t really planned but I can tell you today that it was a good move. My body was exhausted, so was my mind so I definitely needed some time off. My body is refreshed now and responding better.

MW: Back when you were placing high at the big shows and were considered a serious threat in ANY show you would enter who was your nutritionist? Who is your nutritionist now or have you always did your own prep?

GB: I’ve been working with many nutritionist experts in the field since 2004. Pretty much every other prep has been with a different nutritionist with different philosophies and they have all been good. I have great respect for all of them who have been in my corner at some point of my career. Now, as far as training, I have always done my own thing. I have my own philosophy of training . Every athlete at this level is responsible for training and that definitely shows when you step on stage and have to pose over and over.

For this year’s Arnold, I’m prepping with my friend Chris Aceto. We are working hard, each doing its job, but also trying to enjoy the process.
MW: What prompted you to get back on stage? A burning desire to release the competitor in you or is it for the fans? Family?
GB: It was a little bit of everything. Fans had a lot to do with it, as it also did my desire to get back where I feel myself, onstage. It has also been a great motivation the challenge of been off resting for two years and get back on that strict discipline needed to compete. Not many people are able to do that so that motivates me. I want to proof to myself and everybody else that when your mind is set and determined and you give it a 100% everything is possible (as corny as it may sound).
MW: Gustavo, you’re a married man. You’ve been married to Jessica for some time now. In my experiences and travels it has taught me that serious bodybuilding and marriage mix like oil and water. How do you make it work with your wife how is it she has been supportive all of these years?
GB: It’s not easy, especially with kids, but we see it as a team work. Jessica has always liked the fitness lifestyle, by the way we met each other in a gym, so that helps a lot. Honestly, we have been married for quite some time now and I can’t remember we have had a problem or argument because of anything related to bodybuilding. We argue like any other couple do but it’s usually for other reasons. Actually I believe the sport kind of brings us closer.
Gustavo BW
MW: If you never were a professional bodybuilder what would you be doing?
GB: I think I probably would be an economist which was what I was studying in college or maybe a boxer or UFC fighter since I was also boxing when I started in bodybuilding.
MW: The IFBB has changed over the last two years. There is a new Mr. Olympia in Phil Heath and now incorporated are new Divisions such as Bikini & Physique. What are your thoughts on the theory that the IFBB is straying away from what built them in BODYBUILDING promoting the softer more lax divisions?
GB: Well, the prize money in the Olympia and Arnold for pro male bodybuilding is still the highest in the sport. Based on that I think things haven’t changed that much, at least not yet. I believe the IFBB is trying to grow and attract more fans and this new divisions bring in more variety and therefore more public and more money. But, male bodybuilding is the center, and it should always be because it’s the hardest discipline and what has inspired the others
MW: It seems less opportunity is present for professional bodybuilders to make a living in the industry. Outside the Top 5 guys placing in the money slots, the pickings are slim. Is it the general economic times or is the industry just simply evolving?

GB: Right now I’m starting again so I haven’t really paid much attention. The economy has affected other sports and pretty much everything, so it could be in part responsible. Maybe it is combination of factor.
MW: So you harbor no resentment for the Men’s Physique Guys? It appears they are landing more magazine covers and grabbing more contracts with supplement companies.
GB: No resentment, good for them! We all need to eat! I believe this is a test period for IFBB, magazines and supplement companies in an attempt to survive in this difficult times. We’ll see what happens. But, I need to say, with all due respect, that you might be able to see 1,000 great physique guys but you won’t be able to see that many top, great bodybuilders because it is just a harder discipline, it takes more hard work. Bodybuilding is about being as big as you can be with almost no fat in your body maintaining a balance in your muscle groups which is very difficult to achieve and takes more time and sacrifices. It should also have greater rewards.
MW: Speaking of supplements, let’s be honest. No brand names. No name dropping. What do you use that is Over The Counter? I saw a diet prescribed by Hany to a professional bodybuilder who I will not name who pointed out to me that NO supplements are prescribed. Just food. Are you big on using supplements, Gustavo?

GB: I do believe in supplements. Some are better, some are worse, but they help provide for the high demand of our body. I respect other competitors and other philosophies and although nothing replaces food, in my opinion supplements help.

MW: Over the last couple years we’ve seen some deaths in the competitive bodybuilding world. What kind of precautions do you take to ensure you won’t be on that list anytime soon? Everyone knows serious competitive bodybuilding has it’s risks -vs- rewards.
GB: People die everyday for many reasons regards of their lifestyle. I try to be more old school, training harder, having a healthy diet and don’t go crazy or take shortcuts. I do what I can to protect my body like going to my doctor every 12-18 months to see how everything is working. I hope God doesn’t call me yet.
Gustavo BW2
MW: Consider this scenario: Your son tells you he wants to follow in your foot steps and be a serious Top Tier Professional Bodybuilder. What do you say to him?
GB: Well, I would try my best to persuade him to choose otherwise. This has been a passion for me that I decided to do for a living. I definitely will try for my kids to explore other career options.
MW: Moving on. How do you relax in Las Vegas when not in competition mode? Do you even bother with The Strip or do you pretty much keep it low key?

GB: I don’t usually visit the strip. I’m a family man and my free time in Las Vegas is to visit more parks or take a trip to LA to take them to Disney, Universal and all those nice parks.
MW: Who is your “industry wife”? I know you’re a family man and I respect that but which girl in the industry makes your blood flow? For me it’s still Monica Brant.

GB: I think they all look great, but can’t really tell you I have one.
MW: What are 3 things you never leave the house without?

GB: My cell phone, house keys and gym bag.

MW: What is your favorite thing about bodybuilding? Is it the structure of the prep? The change in yourself before your eyes?

GB: Everything. How amazing is the body how it changes when you do the right thing. But, most of all I think is the challenge it is and knowing that I’m one of the few that can do this. Not many can handle it.

MW: What can we expect from you at the 2012 Arnold Classic in Columbus, Ohio?

GB: A Gustavo that will give a 100% like he always has. I will enjoy the show and try to make it as entertaining for the fans as I can.

MW: Do you have anything you would like to plug or promote? How can someone get in touch with you for sponsorship or any opportunities for representation?

GB: People or companies interested in contacting me for guest posing, seminars or sponsorship can do so by email at gjbadell@aol.com or can also look me up on Facebook.

Bonus Round of Rapid-Fire Questions:

Favorite Movie? The Godfather

Favorite Gym? Gold’s Flamingo

Favorite Actor? Al Pacino

Favorite Exercise? Deadlift

Favorite Cheat Food? Pasta

Favorite Clean Food? Fish

Drink of Choice? Vodka Cranberry

Favorite Travel Destination? Italy

Squats or Leg Presses: Squats

Barbells or Dumbbells: Dumbbells

MUSCLEWEEK: Thanks for joining us, Gustavo. We wish you the best of luck in 2012!

GUSTAVO BADELL: Thanks Shane. I appreciate it.

There once was a time when a BBD could hypothesize that a Bodybuilder’s income would consist of:

– Magazine Sponsorship
– Supplement Company Sponsorship
– Guest Posing Appearance Fees
– Seminar Fees
– DVD Sales
– Ancillary Product Sponsorship

But what we know is that Bilbo Chickerdildo’s financial stake in Egg Whites International not withstanding, there are NO ANCILLARY PRODUCT SPONSORSHIPS. Yes, KEVIN LEVRONE attached his name to the idiotic TRICEPTOR device that sold 43 units and yes SETH FEROCE attached his name to an equally retarded contraption he endorses that has sold even LESS than the TRICEPTOR, but no bad inventor is paying a Pro any endorsement money other than to make the schmoeing look legitimate.

And there are no more DVD SALES. Mitsuru Okabe hasn’t made a video in years, as he went broke making videos for 2nd tier bodybuilders who couldn’t sell 100 units/year and got stuck with massive inventory as DVD ripping and Youtubing became the de facto way of obtaining your copy of Ronnie Coleman’s ‘Unbelievable’. Bye bye DVD Sales!

Seminars?? Bwahahaha!! Who the fuck pays for a seminar??? It’s just a glorified excuse to sell a few 8×10′s and maybe finally dump those copies of the 10-year old Mitsuru video he shot back in 2001. Sad.

We all know Optimum Nutrition, BSN and Muscletech are looking less and less at bodybuilding and more at Physique and MMA, so good luck new IFBB Pros — especially those who aren’t just ‘endorsed’ by a supplement company so the owner can legitimize his payments to the BB/gearslinger for all those kits of serostim he delivers by DHL.

Which brings us to GUEST POSING. We’ve all seen the noobs talk about guest-posing as way for guys to make good cash. And yes, in the olden days, promoters would occasionally go out and book a guest poser. When I repped Kevin during his prime, I believe we received 3-4 offers for guest posing over the course of 3-4 YEARS!! and though Kevin’s quoted fee was $4500, it seemed as though no one ever offered more than $1500. Weird, huh??

But eventually, even guest posing opportunities dried up. The new guest posing scam was a simple one whereby one would be forced to guest pose as part of his supplement contract’s terms. So that $30,000 supplement contract INCLUDED a mandatory 10 guest posing appearances.

With the supplement companies supplying all of the guest posers for free as part of their contest sponsorship, the few opportunities for guest posing income all but dried out. Except out on the West Coast where uber-promoter and IFBB Judge John Lindsay continued to pay a reduced guest posing fee of $500 — allowing LA area bodybuilders to continue pick up some income for guest posing services.

But now, even those days are no longer. Because John no longer utilizes the services of bodybuilders as guest posers. Why? Because in John’s words, ‘Maybe three people in the audience would clap.’

Huh? What does that mean? Why would only three people clap?

‘Because the audience is all women!’ he replied.

Ahhhhh….now I get it. The implication, of course, that an audience filled with women would, err, lack the MEN to provide the necessary enthusiasm to justify the presence of a MALE bodybuillder. And that the WOMEN attending to watch their friends or Bombshell Sisters in Bikini and Figure would have ZERO interest in watching an off-season male bodybuilder flex for them.

With bikini and figure now DOMINATING most contests in terms of entries, it would logically follow that the AUDIENCES of those contests would consist of those who care to WATCH bikini and figure competitions. Now, I don’t know about your friends, but as a red-blooded, card-carrying heterosexual male, I can firmly state that I have ZERO interest in watching an NPC Bikini or Figure contest. Hawaiian Tropic or Hooters or MTV Spring Break Bikini girls writhing on stage to music and booty shaking? Yes. NPC Bikini girls doing quarter turns and trying to create the illusion of an ass despite being on zero carbs for 8 weeks? No thanks.

Fitness with chicks doing flips and cartwheels and Cirque De Soleil shit? Yes. Figure contestants doing quarter turns and looking like female bodybuilders too chickenshit to add Anadrol and Tren to their Anavar and Winstrol cycles? No thanks.

The death of the guestposer is directly related to the death of bodybuilding in general. Yes, the USA or Nationals gets 500+ entries these days. But whereas that used to be 70-80% bodybuilding competitors, today it’s closer to 70-80% bikini and figure competitors. And therefore, why pay a bodybuilder guest-poser to entertain an audience of women there to watch bikini and figure contestants? And if it doesn’t make dollars, it doesn’t make sense.

So let us all say a prayer and mourn for the Guest-Poser of yesteryear.

Because Guest-Posing is Dead.

RIP.

Rather than stick around Venice and continue to try to eke out a living by training fatsos and doing the ‘Venice Hustle’, Paul returned to his native Ontario and quietly launched the WBFF. While the IFBB initially expressed some concern about a new organization, Paul provided assurances to the powers-that-be that the WBFF was no threat to the IFBB — that Paul had zero interest or ambition to bring his contests to the United States and that he was simply filling a void that neither the NPC nor the IFBB could fill. Convinced that Paul was a good soldier, the power-brokers accepted him at his word and made no efforts to sabotage Paul’s new WBFF organization.

Paul’s sense of showmanship and experience as a bodybuilder led to several successful promotions and even brought aboard mainstream sponsors. With Paul bringing in entertainment to provide lively performances for the fans, his shows were reminiscent of the old IFBB Night of Champions or Olympia events, replete with mainstream news coverage, widely seen advertising, and sellout crowds.

It seemed to be just a matter of time before Paul’s ambitions to grow his organization locked horns with the NPC/IFBB. When Paul launched the Male Fitness Model division in 2009, it seemed that he had stumbled upon something golden. What if the majority of the attendees and consumers — men — had another option to display their physique without having to take years off their health and lives by mass consuming growth hormone, steroids, diuretics, insulin, and painkillers?

The WBFF’s Male Fitness Model competition was an immediate hit with both competitors and the fans.

And the NPC/IFBB took notice. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Dillett must have been incredibly flattered when in 2010, the NPC launched their own version of the WBFF’s Male Fitness Model competition — renaming it Men’s Physique Division (MPD).

Except that Paul Dillett wasn’t flattered. He was incensed. Just like he was nearly ten years earlier when some of those same NPC/IFBB decision-makers placed Paul a ridiculous 6th behind a mutant of messy mass known as Paco Bautista and a man half his width in Darrem Charles. And just as he had done ten years earlier, Paul didn’t sit around moping about it — he ACTED upon it.

Paul announced the WBFF’s invasion of the United States by launching his first state-wide show in Boston in July, 2011. Although turnout for the show was less than expected (only 4 men competed in the Male Fitness Model division), the message was clear.  The WBFF had declared war on the NPC.

So it wasn’t that much of a surprise that Dillett followed up his initial foray into NPC-territory by launching an attack on the IFBB front as well. By signing longtime IFBB-nuisance Lee Priest, the WBFF communicated their intent to bring both a highly-organized and well-funded alternative to both the NPC and the IFBB to the United States. And after some questionable judging at the recent IFBB Europa and Tijuana shows, many IFBB competitors were quick to call Paul and make more than just a passing inquiry or two.

Sure, we’ve seen all of this before. Wayne DeMilia’s PDI (also starring Lee Priest) launch was a dismal failure, in part because of Wayne’s failing health and in part because of the NPC/IFBB’s desperate attempts to sabotage it in every way. For a small example of that, just see NPC/IFBB Shill and Getbig Owner Ron Avidan’s absurd interview with DeMilia.

But give the NPC/IFBB credit. They are no fools. They’ve been down this road before and know precisely how to control the ‘bodybuilding media’. Using a combination of a carrot-and-stick approach and an iron fist, they will do everything in their power to prevent Paul from getting word out about his show. They will offer rewards to prominent and dissatisfied Pros like King Kamali (such as an Olympia commentating spot), hand out Pro Cards to undeserving candidates who burn the new organization (see Vinny Galanti), and be forced to finally hand over pro cards to former dissidents like Sean Allan (another former PDI Pro who returned to the NPC on his knees and begging forgiveness).

Wayne DeMilia’s biggest mistake with the PDI was his own failure to aggressively recruit IFBB Pros. His ‘sit back and wait for the phone to ring’ approach doesn’t cut the mustard in a business as cutthroat as the fitness and physique business. No, I expect Paul Dillett to be spending several hours a day over the next few weeks reaching out to those guys who for one reason or another have gotten the shaft from the NPC/IFBB. And speaking of elevators and shafts, I fully expect world-renowned bodybuilding MC Robert Cicherillo to be doing the exact same on behalf of his unofficial bosses at the NPC/IFBB.

Make no mistake. The WBFF isn’t playing.

This is WAR.

MuscleWeek: Hi Steve, thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with MuscleWeek. Let’s talk about the upcoming USA show. Other than yourself, who do you see as your biggest competition for the USA?

Kuclo: There are a lot of great guys that are stepping on stage in Vegas. As the show approaches I typically am on the computer less and less and spend more time in the gym, so I’m not always up and up on who is competing in the show or looks good. You hear rumors but it’s all about who shows up the day of the show.

MuscleWeek: Gotcha. We often hear NPC guys going on and on about grabbing that elusive ‘Pro Card’. How would winning a Pro Card improve or affect your life?

Kuclo: Regardless if I am a pro or not I am still Steve Kuclo. That does not change where I’m from and what I stand for. The obvious that comes with pro status is being able to compete for prize money which is exciting and shooting for the ultimate goal of one day being Mr. Olympia.

MuscleWeek: Other than that, in what way(s) would being an IFBB Pro allow you to have a positive impact on your community/society?

Kuclo: I have recently started to work with kids and am putting together community work and programs with inner city kids. I’m calling my program, “Kuclo’s Kids.” I’ve always said I want to be a pioneer of the sport and have a positive impact on the sport from the public persona. Working as a firefighter/paramedic has shown many people that having a demanding full time job and prepping for a show is possible.

MuscleWeek: That’s definitely something admirable that differentiates you from other guys who don’t do anything except bodybuilding. Let’s talk about your heavy training style. When lifting extremely heavy (200 DBL presses), is there ever any concern over injury?

Kuclo: So much of lifting heavy weight is mental and having the confidence to push yourself to new levels is critical.

MuscleWeek: Do you think you’d regret lifting so heavy if a major injury did occur?

Kuclo: As soon as you second guess the lift or lose that mind-muscle connection you can lose it and risk injury.

MuscleWeek: Well then, don’t lose that connection bro! Best of luck at the USA.

Kuclo: Thank you for your time Jason and the interview!