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The
year of 2001 I decided to check out some local Bodybuilding
shows with the intentions of an innocent spectator
not of a potential bodybuilder. I went to a couple
of IFBB sanctioned bodybuilding shows and started
to get the itch to take part in the sport and compete.
I had been competitive in several sports during my
youth and decided that this may be a new beginning
for me. I wasn't aware of natural sanctioned federations
so the thought of taking steroids was an option I
had thought of more than once. I felt I needed this
to make me competitive upon the stage. That was until
I picked up a copy of Iron Man magazine where I saw
an athlete by the name of Mark Kostanti featured,
and that there was such a thing as a drug tested event.
I quickly found out that he competed with the ANB
federation to which I happened to later find, their
next show was in 3 weeks following, and Mark Kostanti
was to guest pose. I was in absolute awe of what I
saw that night and had to question if this athlete
was in fact natural. To me, Mark looked more ripped,
symmetrical and pleasing to the eye than the people
I had seen on the IFBB stage.
At
the end of the event I spoke with the ANB president
who was more than happy to explain to me about how
the federation worked, conducted its test, always
believed in putting the athlete's health first and
putting on a great show for the crowd. They certainly
did, and from that day forth as a result of speaking
with Robert and watching the unbelievable physique
of Kostanti I decided that I would become a natural
for life competitor and stay true to the ANB by competing
in their events over the following years.
I
had begun mobile personal training in Sydney as I
had previously become qualified as a trainer in Wales
when I completed my Sports Therapy course. A year
later I had enough money for a down payment for a
small personal training facility in which we specialized
in 12 week transformations. During this time I had
began writing for a magazine in the UK called Muscle
News. I would interview several well known Bodybuilders
and cover a couple of shows occasionally. Later I
began contributing to the Australian edition of FLEX
and Muscle & Fitness where I had the honor of
featuring the great Mark Kostanti who had inspired
me to push my natural bodybuilding path as far as
I could take it.
Gary
Phillips was the Editor in Chief and photographer
of FLEX and Muscle & Fitness; soon I started to
accompany him to overseas events such as the Arnold
Classic and the Olympia. It was then I knew that I
had to move to the USA if I wanted to earn money and
make a living from my growing passion, writing as
a bodybuilding journalist. Within the year of 2005
I relocated to Venice California where I began to
write for some European magazines, sending through
interviews and contest coverage of the huge array
of bodybuilders on hand. I was continually submitting
my editorials to the Weider offices in L.A. in hope
of getting a response, but no joy. I quickly realized
that it was much easier to sell editorials and interviews
if I worked with a photographer who could shoot my
subjects that I was covering. With that, I decided
to purchase a camera and teach myself everything I
needed to know about bodybuilding photography. I learned
quite quickly how to shoot hardcore training images
just by allowing the bodybuilder to train within his
own natural habitat whilst I continued to shoot fly
on the wall images so I could capture the real intensity
of the workouts, no lights, no tan or fake weights,
just hardcore. I began making comments into my voice
recorder as I was shooting to document for my accompany
editorial.
After
many more submissions to the Weider offices, I got
a call from the international Editor in Chief Peter
McGough for an interview. That interview resulted
in me walking away with a Weider photographer and
writers contract, I couldn't believe what was happening
and I was absolutely overjoyed. I was getting paid
to cover the greatest IFBB events in the world and
interviewing and shooting the greatest IFBB Bodybuilders.
During this time I was still in very close contact
with the ANB in Australia and I continually made slow
and steady gains throughout my training. Now I had
trained with the greats like Dorian Yates, Ronnie
Coleman, Branch Warren, Gary Strydom and Gunter Schlierkamp
to name a few. I was constantly learning different
training styles before adopting the high intensity
techniques of Dorian Yates; this was the training
that my body responded to with positive effect.
I
sent progress pictures of myself to Ron Ziemiecki
from the ANB and after delegating with some of the
other judges; I almost dropped to the floor when Ron
asked if I would represent Australia in the WSNO World
Titles. With no hesitation I began to prepare for
the show whilst continuing to contribute and travel
for the same passion. I later placed second in that
show and couldn't be happier with the result, although
I was far from happy with my condition. I made silly
mistakes in the last 48 hours which I have vowed not
to make again. I shouldn't have treated it like such
a big deal; I should've treated it just like another
show.
Soon
I began to get upset with the certain amount of editorial
and photography control that I felt I was under with
several bodybuilding publications, and decided to
break free to begin my own magazine. I made the decision
after I told Dorian Yates and Lenda Murray at a bar
immediately after the Olympia how great and inspiring
I thought Joe Weiders autobiography "Brothers
in Iron" was. The frustration of my control must
have appeared quite evident and they both suggested
that I should start my own magazine and both would
support by contributing editorial. I went out and
bought a huge printer, set it down in my one bedroom
apartment, and 5 weeks later Kaged Muscle Magazine
was born. I remember at 2am the first copy was delivered
from the printer and the warm pages made me feel like
a proud father.
I
received some great reviews from all of the athletes
and I finally had freedom of what I could shoot and
what I could write. This freedom meant so much more
than the money, which I admit wasn't a frequent commodity
in those early stages.
Approximately
a year later I got a call from the largest health,
fitness and nutrition company in the world - Bodybuilding.com.
They wanted to meet with me in regards to business
proposal. Within a week I was sat at lunch in the
city of Boise, Idaho with the CEO of the two time
500 Inc company. He asked me if I would be interested
in being the Editor in Chief of Bodybuilding.com.
I
sit here now, writing before you holding that very
position I was offered, the Editor in Chief of a 100
million dollar annually grossing company. It wasn't
my photography or my writing that got me this position,
it was based on my decision to strive and do what
I believe is right, take control, and follow through.
It was a very hard and frustrating path (that's another
story) on occasions but I am extremely passionate
about the sport from the inside and out, always worked
hard, treated everyone with respect and always kept
my word. And now guess what, I get to help over 250,000
daily visitors with their health, fitness and bodybuilding
goals, it doesn't get much better than that, for me
anyhow.
Bodybuilding
has so many positive attributes that reach much further
than physical rewards. It has to be one of the most
dedicated sports to participate in that exenterates
self control in order to reach a goal; you have a
head start in life just by participating in this gratifying
sport. Although bodybuilding may not be directly financially
viable, it can be indirectly, if you want it bad enough.
I
have never forgotten my bodybuilding roots, and I
believe those roots began on that great day in Castle
Hill RSL, I constantly remind myself of this. I thank
Robert, Ron and the ANB for providing the best bodybuilding
federation in Australia, making everyone feel so welcome,
and encouraging the natural path to bodybuilders.
I also have a lot of gratitude towards Mark Kostanti
for setting a standard that I will always train towards
- a natural physique that everyone will highlight
the doubtful quote that I once thought of him "no
way can a great physique like that can be natural."
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