| "I have known Aaron for almost two years now. He is a great person with a ton of drive and passion for his career ventures and what he represents. His personality and sense of humor always give off good vibes to be around. Good People!:)"
IFBB Figure Pro |
| GUEST COMMENTS |
| "I first became aware of Aaron just over two years ago and spoke to him for the first time at the 2009 Olympia. He struck me as an articulate, well-educated, friendly and energetic observer of the bodybuilding scene. Since then I’ve followed his writings and can assess that he certainly does his homework before publishing his thoughts and findings. I think he’s one of the new generation of bodybuilding writers and if I were still running a magazine I’d be looking at him as one I would have on the masthead. That said, I just wish he’s give up the Men’s Physique shtick. Listen Aaron, you can’t turn a Great Dane into a Greyhound!" Peter McGough |
| "Genuinely decent dude. I like him. Always good to see him. And he's always been very supportive of my work. So thanks Aaron, and I wish you well, homey." Jerry Beck |
| Christian Duque: First and foremost, it's an absolute pleasure to have Aaron Singerman with us on StrengthAddicts.com, but let's get the canned first question out of the way. Could you please give us your full name (everyone's curious as to your middle name), age, height, normal weight and contest weight.* (For contest weight, if you could include for Physique & Bodybuilding). Aaron Singerman: My full name is Aaron Ellis SIngerman, and Ellis is a family name. My grandmother's maiden name is Ellis, she married my grandfather, Charles Singerman, and that's how that came to be. I'm 32yrs old, my birthday is January 23, 1980; I am 6'2 (Dave Palumbo is always joking around saying that I'm 6'5, 6'6, but whatever, I'm really 6'2, maybe 6'2.5). I was measured for the Men's Physique thing and they said I was exactly 74 inches, which is... 6'2. My normal weight... my weight has fluctuated so much in the years; I've been as high as 290 and as low (recently), at the Iowa Men's Physique show, as 211. Right now (Dec. 2011), I'm about 243, 244, and I'd say that's pretty close to my normal weight. And that's probably as high as I'm going to go, maybe a little higher to 250 or so. But my highest bodybuilding weight was 221 and I was totally out of shape; I think I was leaner and had more muscle doing Men's Physique. The first show I did (the Branch Warren), I was 225 on stage, after cutting my water and everything the morning of the show, on an empty stomach. And as you all saw, I had to lose even more weight to come down for the Iowa show, and even at that one I was still too big. Christian Duque: Most people associate you with Texas, and more recently Florida, but where were you born/grew up and what kind of extra-curricular activities were you involved with during school? Were you truckin guys down on the football field or rockin out the class with a clarinet? (lol) Aaron Singerman: I was born and raised in New Orleans, LA., and I moved obviously from there to Houston, and from Houston, now to Tampa. I was actually born in Metairie, LA, which is a suburb of New Orleans. New Orleans is so small, that Metairie is within ten minutes drive from downtown, maybe fifteen minutes from Bourbon St., so my childhood was interesting. I really like New Orleans to visit, and it was a good place to grow up believe it or not, but it's very different from how it is now. After the hurricane, that's actually when I left New Orleans and moved to Houston, my family lost their house and I lost the condo I was living in and a lot of possessions. My dad lost all his businesses. He owned a bunch of Great American Cookie Company stores, which people probably recognize - they have the big cookie cakes, they sell them at the mall. He had several stores around the Gulf Coast region, and when Hurricane Katrina hit, he actually lost all of those stores. Luckily for him and for me, everyone was insured, so we moved to Houston as a result of that, we were able to start over pretty easily and relatively well compared to other people, who had a tougher time. Interestingly, I got out of LA just in time. I left at the very last minute, literally, when the Mayor came on, Mayor Nagin came on television and said this was the "Doomsday Scenario, if you have a car, you need to leave." It took me literally 24hours to drive to Houston, which is normally a 5-6 hr drive, because there was so much traffic. It was literally a fast jog speed the whole way and there was a lot of stopping. As far as what I did for extra-curricular activities during school, I did play high school football one year -- or two years, actually. I was not good at it, I sure no one's surprised, I'm not a phenomenal athlete, so I sat on the bench a lot and went through the practices. Most of what I did for extra-curricular activities was lift weights; I started when I was 13yrs old, and when other kids got dropped off at home after school, the bus would drop me off at the gym (French Riviera Spa, on Veterans & Cleary). I went there everyday, for hours and hours, not knowing what I was doing, just doing something, and this most of what I did as far as extra-curricular activities or any kind of exercise in high school. I was not a very good kid towards the end; I wasn't involved with anything really organized. I worked at a bar from the time that I was sixteen till.. I ended up getting kicked in the face, fracturing my jaw, orbital socket, and having a retina detached in a big bar fight. People might think that's interesting working at a bar at that age as a bouncer, but in New Orleans the drinking age had just recently changed from 18 to 21, the last actual state to do that -- to change 21 for the drinking age. We actually had bars that were "a little behind the times," I guess you could say and allowed high school kids in. And one of the bars I worked at, Hyde Park Corner, was literally a high school bar, that's where I worked -- it was the cool place to be, all the cool kids came there, and drank and got fucked up, got in fights. The last day I worked there, was the day I tackled somebody and got kicked in the face. After that, my parents really put their foot down and forbade me from ever going back there again Christian Duque: Talk to us about what initially got you started in the gym? I started lifting to cope with a bad breakup, others were inspired by Pumping Iron, some were inspired by the magnificent persona that is Curt James. But what did it for you? And what inspires you today? Aaron Singerman: As I said, I got started very young in the gym, at 13, and when I think back to 13, what inspired me to get started then, really, when I think back about it, must have been the magazines. I mean I would read Flex every month; I would look forward to it, I'd get my parents to bring me to the store to buy it. I would buy all the books about bodybuilding, every single book, you know. So what got me interested originally, before the books and the magazines? I guess I'd have say seeing the movies; me and dad would watch Rambo together, Predator, and those movies where that for some reason the muscle appealed to me. Now I didn't get picked on a whole lot as a kid, but I did get picked on some, just like every other kid. And I felt like having those big muscles, being strong like Arnold, would benefit me. It would prevent kids from picking on me - or me being tougher or something. When you think back and really try to examine things, there had to be at least some of that got me into the magazines and made me buy the books, and me study everything and get so immersed in it at such a young age. So that's really it, but obviously later on, Pumping Iron and all the other stuff continued to make me more and more interested in competing for the first time. But what inspires me today, is an even more interesting question. I don't really have a person, necessarily, that inspires me today. I don't look at one individual and say that is inspiring. You see a lot of stories in being around people, where I'm like 'that's really cool,' like spending time with Oscar Ardon recently at Nationals. He's a great guy, and some of the things he says are very inspiring; some of the things I've seen him do are very inspiring. Kai Greene's story is inspiring. Dave Palumbo's story of chasing what he wanted and his dreams of leaving something behind, being a doctor, to do something HE REALLY WANTED TO DO, is inspiring. I guess to me what's inspiring is success, but not just success in general. Success is something that you love, maybe in spite of say easier options. So choosing the harder path because that's something you love and succeeding -- to me, that's inspiring. Christian Duque: Like Dave & Larry Pepe, I think you're keen to the fact, that while getting a pro card is great, there are many "amateurs" that are rising to the top of the physique industry, through a variety of approaches that include radio, video, writing, marketing, and planning. Talk to us about your many responsibilities with RxMuscle.com, IronMagLabs, AccessBodybuilding, AND of course, your training as a top level Physique competitor. How do you manage? Do you ever sleep? :) Aaron Singerman: I do Access Bodybuilding, I record the show and Produce the content, while Jeff Produces the audio and puts together the finished product you hear. I do everything as far as getting the interviews, the quotes, writing the outline(s), and then Cristina and I will get together and record the show together. I also post a lot on the Boards; I edit video from contests and shoot video. The thing about RxMuscle is, we try to get everybody able to do as many things as possible. And over the time I've worked with Dave, I've basically learnt one thing after another, starting with basic stuff going now all the way to Photoshop and editing video. I believe I'm getting better and better at that. So I started just with the radio thing and posting on the Boards and it's developed to pretty much everything now, so that's really all that I do for Rx. Now for IronMagLabs, I'm the National Spokesperson. Really what the job is, is to get out the word about the IronMagLabs supplements and the product line that Robert Dimaggio has and how good it is. Anyone that's tried it, knows that I'm not just bullshitting or promoting them. The reason I got in touch with Robert, is because I like the products personally. I tried Super DMZ and was so blown away by it, that I contacted him, and together (I believe), we've made the IronMagLabs' name and emblem logo known throughout the industry. I think that's really what I do, I'm spreading the word for him. I also do commercials; the IronMagLabs logo is featured on all of my social media and I tell just about everybody about it. What I do for them is all-encompassing, everything I possibly can for them, basically. And I'm very grateful for their support and I'm grateful for the great products they provide for me. You asked "how do I manage, do I ever sleep?" Yes, I do sleep. I'm on the Dave Palumbo schedule, so I go to bed around 4 or 5 every night and I wake up around 10 or 11, sometimes as late as noon. So I'm on a very unusual schedule, but I do get in the sleep and to be honest with you, it sounds like I do a lot, but I'm always looking to do more and to continue to find my niche in the industry, develop a greater skill-set, and continue doing what I love doing and making a living. Christian Duque: You're known as Jewbacca on the RxMuscle boards, so let's talk a little about Judaism. Are you reformed, conservative, or orthodox? Do you now - or have you ever - kept kosher? Finally, have you ever been to Israel and does anyone in your family speak Hebrew or Yiddish fluently? Aaron Singerman: My folks are Conservative Jews, so I guess I would have to be Conservative. I had a Bar Mitzvah and I was confirmed. My immediate family and I do not keep kosher. Now my father's parents both did keep kosher, so I was exposed to that to some degree. But I don't and my folks never did. Now, have I been to Israel? Yes, I have been to Israel, when I was seventeen years old, I went for I believe two months or almost two months. We started off going to Italy and then I took a cruise from Italy to Israel; it's called a birthright trip. All Jewish kids have the ability to go for free, or for very little cost, through this program and Darielle also went through birthright. It was a great trip and I definitely would like to go back in the future. Israel is a very cool country, people cities, it's much more cosmopolitan than you would think - it's something I'd like to go back to. Does my family speak Hebrew or Yiddish? My grandparents speak some Yiddish, not a lot. My folks and I (and most of the people in my family) can read Hebrew, but we can't speak Hebrew. It's kind of stupid, but when you're a kid and your studying for your Bat Mitzvah, you learn to read it so you can sing the songs and pray 'n stuff, but unfortunately for whatever reason, it's the custom to learn to read it and pronounce it, but not to know what you're reading -- I know it sounds ridiculous and I personally don't get it, but when you're thirteen years old, you don't ask any questions. You want to make it as easy as possible, and it's not an easy process to study for your Bar Bat Mitzvah. It takes many months of being tutored; I think for me it took like a year of being tutored once a week for a few hours. Christian Duque: I know the concept you're a celebrity may not have sunk in yet - especially from the interactions we've had up to now, but talk to us about your interactions at shows. How has your role with RxMuscle, IronMagLabs, and Access Bodybuilding changed the way people react when they see you? And when you just want to be you, just relax - who do you hang out with? Who are the people that make up your inner circle? I'm thinking PJ, Cristina, Darielle.. am I on the right track? |
| Aaron Singerman |
| Aaron before he had ever done his first interview or wrote his first article - which was only a few years ago. I don't think people appreciate how far he's come in such a short time. His work keeps getting better, and he's one of those guys who when I see their learning curve, it makes me wonder how far he'll have gone in another year or two." Anthony Roberts |
| "Aaron is a hard working journalist in the bodybuilding community. He aggressively pursues the relevant stories in the bodybuilding and fitness world and he goes through the trouble to verify his sources and get direct quotes instead of relying on gossip and hearsay. He's a welcome addition to the bodybuilding world and I think his work will quickly make him one of the movers and shakers in this industry. The bodybuilding community has been lacking in good reporters and writers for a long time now so it's great that someone of Aaron's caliber has stepped up to the plate. Aaron is also a true bodybuilder and he is a big guy when you meet him in person. I've the 150 pound dumbbells in the gym and he's got some huge shoulders and arms on him. It's important that someone who writes about the sport practices what he preaches and Aaron definitely does this. I look forward to seeing what an impact Aaron has on the bodybuilding world in the years to come." John Hansen |
| "Aaron is one of the truly great guys in the fitness industry, and i am happy to call him a friend. A very hard working guy who sincerely loves the sport. On top of being very gifted to stay lean and build muscle, he is always up to the challenge of a crazy workout from many of the top pros. Aaron will be one of the top executives in this sport in the future. " Ben Pakulski |
| "Aaron Singerman has become an industry insider, in an industry where that is very difficult to achieve. He strives for honesty and integrity and that is to be commended. I look forward to working with Aaron in the coming years."
|
| "I can tell you from my experience living with him and what he does to prepare for his work, that he puts not only his time into things, but also his heart. The passion that he has for the sport and the people in it has no limit. There are some people that you just know are doing exactly what they were meant to do, and for them to do anything else, would just be wrong. That is Aaron. His life is bodybuilding and there's nothing he loves more (besides me hopefully, ;) ). With that being said, the contributions he currently makes, covers only a fraction of what he wants to achieve, and what he is capable of. He is constantly bursting with ideas that will do things to enhance the industry or an individual athlete. Where Aaron currently is, is only the beginning, and people should be on the constant look-out for bigger, better things out of Aaron Singerman. I feel extremely fortunate to have him in my life!" Darielle Gaines |
| "Aaron Is one of those guys that we all hope to be- he's happy - Honest- humble and Handso---- well 3 out of 4 ain't bad! A personable man is a truly good man to be and Aaron is that- his comfortable and important makes him golden- A man with big Guns too! Aaron is a good ambassador for the sport and always has a good word about others and positive interjections while interviewing athletes- GRRRRR for Aaron
|
| ""You might say he's a natural born yenta," she said, laughing. "But, seriously, Aaron loves what he does, and it shows. That's what makes his commentary so much fun to read and watch. As a 'gossip columnist' he works hard to get the story and be fair, but he pulls no punches. That's a work."
Senior Editor Iron Man |
| Aaron Singerman: You say in the question that the concept of being a celebrity may not have sunken in yet. And to some degree, I think it never will, because it's only in, such a small population. It's like I'm a medium-sized fish in an extremely small pond, you know. So it's still very, very weird, and you know, I don't notice it and I don't get it obviously in regular life to happen, because nobody knows who I am. But at the gym I now go to, a lot people at Downtown Powerhouse Gym (Tampa), a lot of people do know because there's a lot of competitors there, bodybuilders, pro bodybuilders. Erin Stern works out there, I work out regularly with Ben Pakulski, and people do recognize me and come to me and stuff. At shows, people want to take pictures, and that is very strange. It is very strange, but I have gotten use to it and I have to tell you that compared to a lot of bodybuilders and other people in the media, I really enjoy it. I love to meet the people that listen to the shows that read the columns that see the videos. I like it on a different level than a lot of people because to me what is really gratifying is to know that you're affecting someone's life, even if it's in entertaining them for an hour or two - or - giving them something to read in the morning when they're drinking their cup of coffee or something. To me that seems, it's a little mind blowing. So to actually meet the people, who are reading it or watching it or listening to it, is a big deal, and personally I love it. I fan of bodybuilding, and that's really what I am. It just so happens that I've been lucky enough to get myself in a position where do realize who I am or see me and want to meet me, which is crazy but I can't say it bothers me in any regards - I love it. And when I go to the Arnold Expo or the Olympia, one of the things I look forward to the most, is meeting people that listen to the shows or read the play by plays on RxMuscle, or have taken IronMagLabs supplements and love the results. Now all of that is very gratifying to me. As far as, who do I hang out with when I just want to be me, you know since I've moved to Tampa, I really don't know that many people here. I really don't hang out with many people at all [laughs]. Like I said, I go to the gym everyday, I go to the gym, the grocery store, maybe to the mall or the movies or something like that - out to eat with Darielle. So, a majority of my time is either spent alone in this room with the computer or at the gym, like I said, lately I've been training with John Hansen (Natural Mr. Olympia) or Ben Pakulski, and then a few other people rotate in out. A lot of times I work out with Darielle or by myself. I've met some friends here, a lot of the people are very nice. I see Erin Stern and Steve Namat, who both work out there regularly and we talk often. But as far as people I hang out with regularly -- not many. Most of my relationships are kept up with and really honestly developed through the internet and seeing people at shows. When you're traveling, I mean last year I traveled over 20 times to shows, at all of those shows it's my chance to interact and see friends and stuff -- it's almost like a reunion of sorts. That's one of the reasons I do love going to shows so much because it is like a reunion for me -- a place to connect with friends or make new friends. Most of my interactions with friends are over the phone or on the internet through email, text messages -- I get an obscene amount of text messages, and Darielle can attest to that. I'm probably on the phone or texting or talking on the phone, as it is already, far too much, so I have to consciously put down the phone so that I spend more time with her. That's actually something I feel has separated me from other people, which I'm really good at. It's maintaining relationships; I talk to people on a regular basis, and I keep in touch with people on a regular basis where others wouldn't. If I don't hear from... let's see... Jose Raymond, who's a friend of mine, eventually, if I haven't heard from him long enough, it comes to me -- I should give him a call and I should see what he's doing, not just to maintain a relationship, but just as, a friend. It's something I've always been good at, and it's definitely helped me in bodybuilding and with my career. |
Christian Duque: What's your take on the WBFF? I myself have tried interviewing several of their athletes and can count the
number of replies I've received "2." Nonetheless, I'm somewhat of a capitalist at heart and I like competition. Question is... Is the
WBFF really able to compete with the NPC/IFBB in your opinion?
Aaron Singerman: What's my take on the WBFF? They're a newer, smaller organization. Do I think they can honestly compete
with the NPC, IFBB? No. Do I have a problem with competition? No. They're going to do their best to develop as big a following
and as big of a competitive organization as possible. And the NPC and IFBB will do their best that they don't succeed that kind of
level to threaten them, and that's just how business works.
Some people might think it's unfair for the NPC or the IFBB to want to crush Paul Dillett's organization, the WBFF, but that's how
business works. I'm sure Paul wants to take over from the IFBB and NPC. Do I think there's a chance that that will happen? If
there is a chance -- it's infinitesimal, just because of how long the IFBB/NPC has been going now, the amount of shows, the
following, the sponsorship dollars; there's a whole slew of reasons.
As far as my loyalties, they lie with IFBB and NPC - that is the organization that I have competed in, that I have followed since I was
13 and picked up the first Flex Magazine, and that's where I stand on the whole thing. I'm with the IFBB and NPC -- and I'm sure
that's no surprise to anybody.
number of replies I've received "2." Nonetheless, I'm somewhat of a capitalist at heart and I like competition. Question is... Is the
WBFF really able to compete with the NPC/IFBB in your opinion?
Aaron Singerman: What's my take on the WBFF? They're a newer, smaller organization. Do I think they can honestly compete
with the NPC, IFBB? No. Do I have a problem with competition? No. They're going to do their best to develop as big a following
and as big of a competitive organization as possible. And the NPC and IFBB will do their best that they don't succeed that kind of
level to threaten them, and that's just how business works.
Some people might think it's unfair for the NPC or the IFBB to want to crush Paul Dillett's organization, the WBFF, but that's how
business works. I'm sure Paul wants to take over from the IFBB and NPC. Do I think there's a chance that that will happen? If
there is a chance -- it's infinitesimal, just because of how long the IFBB/NPC has been going now, the amount of shows, the
following, the sponsorship dollars; there's a whole slew of reasons.
As far as my loyalties, they lie with IFBB and NPC - that is the organization that I have competed in, that I have followed since I was
13 and picked up the first Flex Magazine, and that's where I stand on the whole thing. I'm with the IFBB and NPC -- and I'm sure
that's no surprise to anybody.
Now you asked me, have I heard any horror stories worth mentioning? Not really about steroids, you know most of the horror stories you hear about in our sport, are
about recreational drugs. I've heard a few bad things; I know a gentleman who died from insulin. He took his insulin and went to sleep; that's a pretty bad move
because... He never woke up; he went into a coma and died. But generally even that is a rarity. You rarely hear stuff like that, so most of the horror stories you hear,
you hear about problems, health problems that could or could not be related to the anabolic steroid usages. It's hard to tell you know, if you hear about somebody
that dies from a heart attack at 58yrs old, was it because of this or that?
A lot of times we hear stories related to diuretics. Obviously, diuretics are a dangerous game and if you over do them, if you're like me and you're allergic, and you
take them, you don't know. For me for example, I was allergic to Sulfur drugs; there are diuretics that are Sulfa based and I had a serious problem because of it and
had to go to the hospital. Now there's all kinds of people who use or have used diuretics to excess and have much more serious problems. You see the beginning of
those problems when you see bodybuilders cramping. There's been horror stories like that. I use one example, there was Paul Dillett, John Romano was helping
Paul Dillett for the Arnold Classic. He actually locked up on stage so much that they had to carry him out like a statue. People probably heard that story before,
and a lot of worse things have happened and a lot of people have died because of over usage of diuretics -- not so much with steroids.
about recreational drugs. I've heard a few bad things; I know a gentleman who died from insulin. He took his insulin and went to sleep; that's a pretty bad move
because... He never woke up; he went into a coma and died. But generally even that is a rarity. You rarely hear stuff like that, so most of the horror stories you hear,
you hear about problems, health problems that could or could not be related to the anabolic steroid usages. It's hard to tell you know, if you hear about somebody
that dies from a heart attack at 58yrs old, was it because of this or that?
A lot of times we hear stories related to diuretics. Obviously, diuretics are a dangerous game and if you over do them, if you're like me and you're allergic, and you
take them, you don't know. For me for example, I was allergic to Sulfur drugs; there are diuretics that are Sulfa based and I had a serious problem because of it and
had to go to the hospital. Now there's all kinds of people who use or have used diuretics to excess and have much more serious problems. You see the beginning of
those problems when you see bodybuilders cramping. There's been horror stories like that. I use one example, there was Paul Dillett, John Romano was helping
Paul Dillett for the Arnold Classic. He actually locked up on stage so much that they had to carry him out like a statue. People probably heard that story before,
and a lot of worse things have happened and a lot of people have died because of over usage of diuretics -- not so much with steroids.
Christian Duque: As one of the leading authorities on supplementation, I'd like to pick your brain about anabolic steroids - a
experience, given responsible, legal use, closely monitored by a licensed health care professional. In your time in the sport,
have you heard any horror stories worth mention?
Aaron Singerman: For an adult male, legally using anabolic steroids, monitored by a health care professional, I guess there
are two types of benefits. If your levels are low naturally, bringing them up to the normal or high normal level, can increase
mental acuity, your libido could be raised, and you could get more energy. Now when you get into the super physiological
levels of testosterone or adding exogenous hormones in general, you can obviously gain muscle, you can gain strength, etc,
etc, and these are all positive if you're monitored by health care professional and you're not doing anything crazy and being
responsible with your usage.
experience, given responsible, legal use, closely monitored by a licensed health care professional. In your time in the sport,
have you heard any horror stories worth mention?
Aaron Singerman: For an adult male, legally using anabolic steroids, monitored by a health care professional, I guess there
are two types of benefits. If your levels are low naturally, bringing them up to the normal or high normal level, can increase
mental acuity, your libido could be raised, and you could get more energy. Now when you get into the super physiological
levels of testosterone or adding exogenous hormones in general, you can obviously gain muscle, you can gain strength, etc,
etc, and these are all positive if you're monitored by health care professional and you're not doing anything crazy and being
responsible with your usage.
Christian Duque: Talk to us about Physique -- what is it? And what are some of your ideas (you might potentially suggest) to make the division better? Also, what's
the word on calves (the board shorts don't cover them, but I've heard if they're too freaky, you get marked down (true?)?
Aaron Singerman: I definitely have some suggestions for physique. My idea of what Men's Physique should be, or actually what I thought it was going to be
"achievable, not but easily achievable," with years and years of training in the gym. It turns out, from what I've seen, that's not what they're looking for; most of the
guys that were in my class at Nationals and there were 80 guys, the ones that me and Darielle thought were the best -- did the worst. So the guys that were the most
muscular and the leanest didn't do very well.
I think what they're looking for is kind of a pretty boy look -- and pretty boy Abercrombie look, kind of like skinny but muscular, good abs you know? That's definitely
not what I was envisioning or hoping for.
As far as the board shorts, people might be surprised to hear me say, I think they should do away with the board shorts. I think it's a mistake cover up the entire
biggest muscle of the body. And I think they should something with maybe a shorter short, maybe six inches above the knee, so you could maybe see the bottom part
of the quad -- something like that is what I'd like to see.
I also think that the board shorts can be sometimes a bit distracting, so that would be one suggestion.
You also asked about the calves, since board shorts don't cover them. As far as being too muscular; you know, it's interesting, I've always known for bodybuilding that
my legs are my weakest area and then that my calves were not good. But when you look at my pictures on stage and you look at my calves, they're actually good size
-- or as big as anyone on stage. Now, you ask if they were too freaky, should they get marked down? I think the answer is probably yes. If they were freaky, if you had
big, very hyper-muscular calves they definitely wouldn't want to see that. I think they want to see some muscle on the calf, but I think that it is not judged very heavily,
so I don't think having good calves or bad calves is going to make any difference at all in your placing. And honestly even bodybuilding these days, calves don't seem
to matter very much, so I think the Men's Physique Division is even less so.
the word on calves (the board shorts don't cover them, but I've heard if they're too freaky, you get marked down (true?)?
Aaron Singerman: I definitely have some suggestions for physique. My idea of what Men's Physique should be, or actually what I thought it was going to be
"achievable, not but easily achievable," with years and years of training in the gym. It turns out, from what I've seen, that's not what they're looking for; most of the
guys that were in my class at Nationals and there were 80 guys, the ones that me and Darielle thought were the best -- did the worst. So the guys that were the most
muscular and the leanest didn't do very well.
I think what they're looking for is kind of a pretty boy look -- and pretty boy Abercrombie look, kind of like skinny but muscular, good abs you know? That's definitely
not what I was envisioning or hoping for.
As far as the board shorts, people might be surprised to hear me say, I think they should do away with the board shorts. I think it's a mistake cover up the entire
biggest muscle of the body. And I think they should something with maybe a shorter short, maybe six inches above the knee, so you could maybe see the bottom part
of the quad -- something like that is what I'd like to see.
I also think that the board shorts can be sometimes a bit distracting, so that would be one suggestion.
You also asked about the calves, since board shorts don't cover them. As far as being too muscular; you know, it's interesting, I've always known for bodybuilding that
my legs are my weakest area and then that my calves were not good. But when you look at my pictures on stage and you look at my calves, they're actually good size
-- or as big as anyone on stage. Now, you ask if they were too freaky, should they get marked down? I think the answer is probably yes. If they were freaky, if you had
big, very hyper-muscular calves they definitely wouldn't want to see that. I think they want to see some muscle on the calf, but I think that it is not judged very heavily,
so I don't think having good calves or bad calves is going to make any difference at all in your placing. And honestly even bodybuilding these days, calves don't seem
to matter very much, so I think the Men's Physique Division is even less so.
Christian Duque: Talk to us about your take on Natural Bodybuilding? Do you think the IFBB should have - or ever will have - a natural division to compliment the
dozen or so openly Natural NPC shows held throughout the country (including Team Universe, which although not openly natural -- is tested])? And given the
success of the 202 class, do you think a natural bodybuilding division at pro shows would be popular and/or financially sustainable?
Aaron Singerman: What's my take on natural bodybuilding? I guess that my is that it's admirable, but it's something I've never understood, because with myself when
I was lifting weights in hopes of bodybuilding, I always wanted to be the best, the biggest strongest, that I could possibly be, so it always seemed foreign to me
personally to not do everything you could do to achieve those goals. That said, now that I've gotten older, it seems a little less foreign that I can understand wanting to
be really healthy, and obviously natural bodybuilding is much healthier than the normal bodybuilding we see today in the NPC/IFBB level. It's like it could be used as a
longevity thing, which obviously competing as a bodybuilder isn't generally thought of, at least if you know what's going on.
No, no I don't, because I don't think there's a spot for that. As we create more and more divisions, the inception of the Women's and Men's Physique Division, adding
another division I can't see in our immediate future. And if we add another new division, I can't imagine it would be a Natural Bodybuilding division. It's just not
something that people would pay for tickets; you have to think about it that way. As a promoter, you're trying to make money - certainly not lose money -- so having to
pay another sanctioning fee and pay out other prize money, you have to think in terms of dollar and cents. Are enough people going to buy tickets to make this show
financially viable to have this division? So let's say it cost you an additional, even if there's not a lot of prize money and the sanctioning fee is very limited, let's say it
cost you $8,000 or $10,000, does that possibly make any sense? That's why they've gotten rid of a lot of the Women's Bodybuilding and why other divisions aren't
flourishing, is because sometimes it doesn't make sense -- people aren't paying for those tickets. Even though it may have a lot of fans, like Women's Bodybuilding
we know it has a lot of fans out there, but those people have shown themselves to the type of people that are coming to the shows and paying for the tickets, so it isn't
appealing necessarily for a promoter and that's really what it comes down to. So I don't think we'll be seeing Natural Bodybuilding in the pro ranks with the IFBB. That
said, there is pro bodybuilding for naturals and there's organizations specifically for that.
dozen or so openly Natural NPC shows held throughout the country (including Team Universe, which although not openly natural -- is tested])? And given the
success of the 202 class, do you think a natural bodybuilding division at pro shows would be popular and/or financially sustainable?
Aaron Singerman: What's my take on natural bodybuilding? I guess that my is that it's admirable, but it's something I've never understood, because with myself when
I was lifting weights in hopes of bodybuilding, I always wanted to be the best, the biggest strongest, that I could possibly be, so it always seemed foreign to me
personally to not do everything you could do to achieve those goals. That said, now that I've gotten older, it seems a little less foreign that I can understand wanting to
be really healthy, and obviously natural bodybuilding is much healthier than the normal bodybuilding we see today in the NPC/IFBB level. It's like it could be used as a
longevity thing, which obviously competing as a bodybuilder isn't generally thought of, at least if you know what's going on.
No, no I don't, because I don't think there's a spot for that. As we create more and more divisions, the inception of the Women's and Men's Physique Division, adding
another division I can't see in our immediate future. And if we add another new division, I can't imagine it would be a Natural Bodybuilding division. It's just not
something that people would pay for tickets; you have to think about it that way. As a promoter, you're trying to make money - certainly not lose money -- so having to
pay another sanctioning fee and pay out other prize money, you have to think in terms of dollar and cents. Are enough people going to buy tickets to make this show
financially viable to have this division? So let's say it cost you an additional, even if there's not a lot of prize money and the sanctioning fee is very limited, let's say it
cost you $8,000 or $10,000, does that possibly make any sense? That's why they've gotten rid of a lot of the Women's Bodybuilding and why other divisions aren't
flourishing, is because sometimes it doesn't make sense -- people aren't paying for those tickets. Even though it may have a lot of fans, like Women's Bodybuilding
we know it has a lot of fans out there, but those people have shown themselves to the type of people that are coming to the shows and paying for the tickets, so it isn't
appealing necessarily for a promoter and that's really what it comes down to. So I don't think we'll be seeing Natural Bodybuilding in the pro ranks with the IFBB. That
said, there is pro bodybuilding for naturals and there's organizations specifically for that.
| Christian Duque: Some time ago, I wrote an article for FigureBikini.com dealing with the lagging state of Women's Fitness at the NPC level - in fact, I was shocked it has never been offered - at all - at Nationals. As a commentator, competitor, and fan of physique sports, what kind of response are you seeing at the NPC level in this division and what are some things that could be done to improve this situation. Also, what's the current state of Women's Bodybuilding at the NPC level? (It seems both divisions enjoy amazing talent at the IFBB level, but if things don't change at the amateur level, who will be pro's of tomorrow?) Aaron Singerman: The state of Women's Fitness in the NPC is not a good thing. It seems to be like you said, definitely lagging. The Fitness Division is the hardest, requiring the most time and ability of all of the Women's Divisions. Obviously, it takes more to get ready for a Fitness contest because they have to be in condition and look good and everything, but they also have to have the skills and the dance ability and the choreography for the actual routine itself, which is now even more important at 66%. That is something that is not easy, when a girl has a lot of other options - now they even have Women's Physique Division, so if they want to be more muscular or hard, but not quite Women's Bodybuilding, now they have another option. With all these options that they have available to them, it makes sense that the hardest one, the one that requires the most skill will probably suffer, and it has suffered. Now, you mention in here that it was never at Nationals. No, the NPC Nationals is not the Women's Fitness Nationals, which is actually held at Team Universe - now held in NJ. Don't be confused, there is still a National Fitness competition, that is the premier one, not the one we just had in Miami, where they don't have Fitness at all. That could be a misunderstanding, and I wouldn't have known that unless I had been to all the shows. Now the level of competition at the top is still pretty high. What we've really seen is the middle levels of girls has really fallen off. Now what you've got is girls just getting into it, you have girls that have been around for a while that are very good, who are fighting for those pro cards, and then not as much in the middle. You ask, what could be done to improve the situation? I think, to be honest, I'm not sure what we could do to improve the situation. The one thing is that at the pro level, we're seeing less pro shows also, and obviously that's not a good thing, when you have only five or six pro shows for 2012 -- maybe they added one or two (I'm not looking at the schedule right now). But that's kind of the situation; I'm not sure what needs to be done to improve it. The thing I can tell you that they've been doing is, they've been trying to reduce some of the necessary skill-set. A lot of the mandatory moves that they had before are no longer mandatory; they're trying to involve more girls into it that don't have some of those skills that were required before. Back in the day, when Fitness first came out, there was even more moves. The gymnastics, the level of gymnastics back when Kelly Ryan was doing it, those girls back then, there was a lot of gymnastics ability. Now the gymnastics ability isn't even counted at all. They actually don't favor it at all whatsoever. Now they're trying to move it a little bit more towards dance... I think that hopefully it will pick up, because out of everything that I see at the shows, a lot of times the most entertaining is the Fitness. Now you asked about the Women's Bodybuilding at the NPC level. There still are Women's Bodybuilders coming out, the local shows we don't see many. Back in the day going to Texas shows, before I moved to Tampa, we would still see plenty of girls at the pro level, but so many at the local level or the state level. There's a lot of interest at the pro level - and even at the national level, we see a lot of girls coming out in each of the divisions, maybe not as many as the top past years, but there's still plenty of girls interested in competing in the NPC Women's Bodybuilding and certainly in IFBB Women's Bodybuilding. I don't think it'll go anywhere, I think we'll always have Women's Bodybuilding at the pro level, there's just going to be less contests. It's one of those same things we talked about in the last question, if there's not people paying for tickets to see those girls, that's where we run into a problem, where it doesn't make sense for a promoter to pay the sanction fee or put up the prize money and have the Division in the first place. So, I don't think you're going to see it going anywhere; we might continue to see it fall off more, of course now that we have Women's Physique Division, but I don't think you'll see it go anywhere, and I think you'll see Women's Bodybuilding and Women's Fitness, continue indefinitely -- at least I hope so. |
Christian Duque: Let's talk bodybuilding, and let's go straight to the top! Point blank - Phil Heath / Jay Cutler / 2011 Olympia. Was this show a fluke, was it another
2008? Is Phil the champion because Jay was off - or do you think a 100% Phil beats a 100% Jay? Now let's go fantasy bodybuilding and add a twist here; let's wedge
a 100% Evan Centopani between 100% Jay & Phil, then flanked them with a 100% Kai & 100% Victor - Aaron Singerman is the one & only judge; which man gets the
Sandow? Which physique is the ideal Mr. Olympia for you?
Aaron Singerman: Right now the best bodybuilder in Men's Bodybuilding, without a doubt, is Phil Heath. He is extraordinary; we haven't had a guy like Phil Heath
compete since the days of... the early days of Ronnie, when he started winning in '98, '99, since Lee Haney or a dominant Dorian Yates, before any muscle tears. Phil
Heath is the real deal. He is a very impressive guy to see on stage, especially when you're up close and you see these guys and you can really see a difference.
Now you asked does a 100% Phil Heath beat a 100% Jay Cutler? Yes, I think so. Now, it was because of Jay's tear, his biceps tear (and I've seen it up close -- it was
a tear and nothing else), would 100% Jay Cutler beat 100% Phil Heath? I don't know the thing about this (and it's something people don't consider), is that tear is
not... when you have a tear like that, it's not just that one spot. I believe something like that is systematic, so I don't even feel we saw anything near the best Jay Cutler.
I saw pictures of him two weeks out, that not a lot of people were privy to see, and I can tell you ... He was looking unbelievable, ridiculous, so I'm not sure that that
would have still put him over the top and beat Phil Heath no matter what. But I think we only saw a glimmer -- a glimpse of what Jay Cutler would have been without
that tear -- like I said, it affected his whole body. When you have some traumatic tear like that, it doesn't just affect the muscle; when you're in that kind of condition,
calorie-restricted diet, I believe the whole body changes as a result of it. So that being said, Phil Heath is unbelievable and I got to see him just a few feet away in
India, as we were literally just a few feet from the stage, and he's just a freak, a freak of nature, man. I think it may be a really long time before anyone beats Phil
Heath.
Of all the guys, I'm probably the least close with Phil Heath, I don't really know him at all. I definitely can say I'm friends with Jay, I'm friendly with Victor [Martinez], I'm
friendly with Kai [Greene], so this is coming from a totally unbiased source. Would I like to see Jay Cutler come back and beat Phil Heath? Absolutely, I would love to
see that happen, on a personal level.
Do I think Kai, Victor, or Jay will come back and do it? No. You asked about Evan Centopani, who I consider a friend, would I like to see him come out and beat Phil?
Yeah, that would be great. I think Evan, maybe it is possible at one point, but I think it's going to be really tough for Evan at any point. A 100% Evan Centopani, right
now, against Phil Heath... I don't think that it's even close. I think that Evan is phenomenal, great bodybuilder, and amazing genetics; he's a huge dude. BUT PHIL
HEATH POPS! I mean everything is just round, you know he's like the State Puff Marshmallow Man, not because he's fat but because he's that round -- everything just
pops off of him. Evan is going to have a tough time; Evan is a great bodybuilder and his future really is unlimited, but at this point it's hard to look at his last year (as
good as Evan was) and say he's even up there standing next to Phil, and we won't be seeing him standing next to Phil at the Arnold, since Phil won't be doing it. Evan
will, so maybe you ask me this question again after March, and maybe I have a different answer for you, but for right now I don't think any of those guys, Kai, Jay,
Victor, or Evan (you mentioned), anyone of them is going to stand next to Phil and get anywhere close to him at this point.
You asked what my ideal physique was for the Mr. Olympia. I don't even know man. I think that all these guys look great. For me, personally, I don't really identify with
someone that's so much shorter than me, being over 6'2, if I look back at the guys I think are great, I think of Toney Freeman, Gunter, Arnold; there's not a whole
lot of guys to look at, so... I thought Gunter looked great. If you look back to 2002 when he got fifth in the Olympia (I think the year before he beat Ronnie at the GNC
Show of Strength, which is pretty crazy because I got to attend that show and sit in the first row because no one was there), that's pretty close. For me, my ideal
physique would be somewhere between Gunter & Arnold.
2008? Is Phil the champion because Jay was off - or do you think a 100% Phil beats a 100% Jay? Now let's go fantasy bodybuilding and add a twist here; let's wedge
a 100% Evan Centopani between 100% Jay & Phil, then flanked them with a 100% Kai & 100% Victor - Aaron Singerman is the one & only judge; which man gets the
Sandow? Which physique is the ideal Mr. Olympia for you?
Aaron Singerman: Right now the best bodybuilder in Men's Bodybuilding, without a doubt, is Phil Heath. He is extraordinary; we haven't had a guy like Phil Heath
compete since the days of... the early days of Ronnie, when he started winning in '98, '99, since Lee Haney or a dominant Dorian Yates, before any muscle tears. Phil
Heath is the real deal. He is a very impressive guy to see on stage, especially when you're up close and you see these guys and you can really see a difference.
Now you asked does a 100% Phil Heath beat a 100% Jay Cutler? Yes, I think so. Now, it was because of Jay's tear, his biceps tear (and I've seen it up close -- it was
a tear and nothing else), would 100% Jay Cutler beat 100% Phil Heath? I don't know the thing about this (and it's something people don't consider), is that tear is
not... when you have a tear like that, it's not just that one spot. I believe something like that is systematic, so I don't even feel we saw anything near the best Jay Cutler.
I saw pictures of him two weeks out, that not a lot of people were privy to see, and I can tell you ... He was looking unbelievable, ridiculous, so I'm not sure that that
would have still put him over the top and beat Phil Heath no matter what. But I think we only saw a glimmer -- a glimpse of what Jay Cutler would have been without
that tear -- like I said, it affected his whole body. When you have some traumatic tear like that, it doesn't just affect the muscle; when you're in that kind of condition,
calorie-restricted diet, I believe the whole body changes as a result of it. So that being said, Phil Heath is unbelievable and I got to see him just a few feet away in
India, as we were literally just a few feet from the stage, and he's just a freak, a freak of nature, man. I think it may be a really long time before anyone beats Phil
Heath.
Of all the guys, I'm probably the least close with Phil Heath, I don't really know him at all. I definitely can say I'm friends with Jay, I'm friendly with Victor [Martinez], I'm
friendly with Kai [Greene], so this is coming from a totally unbiased source. Would I like to see Jay Cutler come back and beat Phil Heath? Absolutely, I would love to
see that happen, on a personal level.
Do I think Kai, Victor, or Jay will come back and do it? No. You asked about Evan Centopani, who I consider a friend, would I like to see him come out and beat Phil?
Yeah, that would be great. I think Evan, maybe it is possible at one point, but I think it's going to be really tough for Evan at any point. A 100% Evan Centopani, right
now, against Phil Heath... I don't think that it's even close. I think that Evan is phenomenal, great bodybuilder, and amazing genetics; he's a huge dude. BUT PHIL
HEATH POPS! I mean everything is just round, you know he's like the State Puff Marshmallow Man, not because he's fat but because he's that round -- everything just
pops off of him. Evan is going to have a tough time; Evan is a great bodybuilder and his future really is unlimited, but at this point it's hard to look at his last year (as
good as Evan was) and say he's even up there standing next to Phil, and we won't be seeing him standing next to Phil at the Arnold, since Phil won't be doing it. Evan
will, so maybe you ask me this question again after March, and maybe I have a different answer for you, but for right now I don't think any of those guys, Kai, Jay,
Victor, or Evan (you mentioned), anyone of them is going to stand next to Phil and get anywhere close to him at this point.
You asked what my ideal physique was for the Mr. Olympia. I don't even know man. I think that all these guys look great. For me, personally, I don't really identify with
someone that's so much shorter than me, being over 6'2, if I look back at the guys I think are great, I think of Toney Freeman, Gunter, Arnold; there's not a whole
lot of guys to look at, so... I thought Gunter looked great. If you look back to 2002 when he got fifth in the Olympia (I think the year before he beat Ronnie at the GNC
Show of Strength, which is pretty crazy because I got to attend that show and sit in the first row because no one was there), that's pretty close. For me, my ideal
physique would be somewhere between Gunter & Arnold.
Christian Duque: Let's talk 202! What's your take on the fan response to this division - and do you expect a similar response - over time - for the 210 division?
As far as placings go, I have five questions for ya in regard to the 202.
Aaron Singerman: Ok, let's talk 202, you had five questions here for me. The first one is, "do I think David Henry will topple Kevin English? Is it possible?" Absolutely
it's possible, no question about it, David Henry is what I always thought was the exact look of what they were going with the 202 Division, it complicates things a little
bit because now that they've went to 212, David Henry is a good bit, a good 10lbs at his heaviest, away from the 212 cap. So I think it's very possible that neither David
Henry nor Kevin English will win the 212 Olympia this year. I think there's a good bunch of guys that could beat both of them.
Now that said, who has a better back you ask? I think that David Henry has a better back. David Henry has more separation than Kevin English, and when I always
thought about this division, that's more what it's about. Kevin English is absolutely bigger and he's a mass monster; David Henry has a lot of crisp separation and
pop to his physique, and that's really what I look for. David Henry did well enough to compete in open shows for years -- he just made the switch to be the best at
something. He made Top 10 in the Olympia so he's even a good bodybuilder in the open -- I don't think Kevin English ever did that. Although, a lot of people have
speculated that at his best he could do that. We'll see.
Number two, "how much of a threat do you think Flex Lewis is to Kevin's rule?" I think it can't really be measured, because in my opinion he won last year. I had
Flex Lewis beating Kevin English at the Olympia solidly, and if not the biggest surprise of the whole show, it had to be one of them. I didn't even think
it was close.
Number three, "with regards to the Top 5 greats, like Jose Raymond, Eduardo Correa, what does the future hold for these guys?" I think that Eduardo Correa is
going to be a mystery in the sense that he is doing the Flex Pro Show in February as an open guy, and he's grown a lot; he's one of those guys that barely squeezed
in and had to kill themselves to make 202 in the first place. I think with Chris Aceto helping him in the off-season and him taking some time off, not just because of
his injury, he's taken time off generally. I think that you're going to see a very big Eduardo Correa, who's probably even going to have a hard time fitting into the 212,
so it'll be interesting to see what he does at the Flex Pro, if he qualifies. If he wins the show or comes in Top 3, you may not even see Eduardo in a 212 show this
year. A lot of these guys, like Jose and Eduardo, are going to be switching back and forth, I think even Kevin English may switch back and forth. 212 is a big number,
you know, if you think about it Craig Richardson was 218 to win a show (an open show). I think you're going to see a lot of these guys, the top 212 guys switching
back and forth this year, and that will make it a little bit more interesting.
Now, #4. "Guy Cisternino, where do I see him in the next five years? Does he have potential to mix it up with the Top 5?" Absolutely, if you remember, Guy
Cisternino got his pro card as a Middleweight, and has been making consistent progress since then. In five years, there's no telling where he'll be. He may be, in five
years, in an open show, you don't know. He definitely has the ability to be at the top of 212 in five years. In five years, he could be at the top of 212 peeled, like when he
won Nationals and got his pro card as a Middleweight. If he's that conditioned at that weight, with his shape, there's really no telling... I trained with Guy Cisternino
before and I can tell you, there's very few guys out there that train harder than Guy. We did arms together and he killed me. So, if he keeps training with that intensity,
eating right (you know, he's super anal, he keeps a diary everywhere of everything he's eating, everything he's doing, everything he puts into the body, coming out of
the body), so if he keeps up this kind of dedication, I would not be surprised to see him at the very top.
"Number 5, are there any other notable guys that deserve a mention and/or guys to watch for from the 202?" I think there's a lot of guys to watch and this change
going to 212 makes... makes it kind of up in the air. We don't know what to expect this year, it may benefit some guys, it may really hurt some guys. Some people who
are towards the bottom of the class, like a Derek Farnsworth, you know Derek's really at the bottom at 140's/150's, Marvin Ward, who's really coming up in the
160's/170's, or even guys who've been around for a while, who have proven themselves as a 202 guy, like Tricky Jackson. Where will he be, when you're standing
next to someone who's squeezing into a 212 Division, that's almost open at this point? I don't know.
There's lot of guys that deserve an honorable mention; there are a lot of guys to watch that are up and coming. One guy that really impressed me was Shaun
Tavernier, from the UK, who looked unbelievable. This is a guy that's, I don't know, 5'3 or something, which is right there at the limit -- he's very impressive and
someone to look forward to. But there are a lot of guys, who are really good and can make a really big impact this year, so I will be very interested. It will be very
interesting to watch this class grow and to see what happens with it, and hopefully become more successful as a 212 Division, hopefully getting more prize money
for the athletes and more attention from the potential sponsors. So I'm hoping that it grows because of this, and not hurt by it.
As far as placings go, I have five questions for ya in regard to the 202.
(1) Do you think we'll ever see David Henry topple Kevin English again? And which of the two has the better back?
(2) How much of a threat do you think Flex Lewis is to Kevin's rule? Can a 100% Flex - structurally - defeat a 100% Kevin?
(3) With regards to other Top 5 greats like Jose Raymond and Eduardo Correa, what does the future hold for these guys? Should they keep improving their
physiques or should they try fill out like English? Should they come in even more cut? Given that rigid 202 cut-off, what can these top guys do to be the very
best?
(4) Where do you see Guy Cisternino in the next five years? Does he have the potential to be in the mix with the Top 5 of the 202 world?
(5) Are there any notable guys you'd like to give honorable mention to in the 202 (at either the NPC or IFBB level). Are there any guys to watch?
Aaron Singerman: Ok, let's talk 202, you had five questions here for me. The first one is, "do I think David Henry will topple Kevin English? Is it possible?" Absolutely
it's possible, no question about it, David Henry is what I always thought was the exact look of what they were going with the 202 Division, it complicates things a little
bit because now that they've went to 212, David Henry is a good bit, a good 10lbs at his heaviest, away from the 212 cap. So I think it's very possible that neither David
Henry nor Kevin English will win the 212 Olympia this year. I think there's a good bunch of guys that could beat both of them.
Now that said, who has a better back you ask? I think that David Henry has a better back. David Henry has more separation than Kevin English, and when I always
thought about this division, that's more what it's about. Kevin English is absolutely bigger and he's a mass monster; David Henry has a lot of crisp separation and
pop to his physique, and that's really what I look for. David Henry did well enough to compete in open shows for years -- he just made the switch to be the best at
something. He made Top 10 in the Olympia so he's even a good bodybuilder in the open -- I don't think Kevin English ever did that. Although, a lot of people have
speculated that at his best he could do that. We'll see.
Number two, "how much of a threat do you think Flex Lewis is to Kevin's rule?" I think it can't really be measured, because in my opinion he won last year. I had
Flex Lewis beating Kevin English at the Olympia solidly, and if not the biggest surprise of the whole show, it had to be one of them. I didn't even think
it was close.
Number three, "with regards to the Top 5 greats, like Jose Raymond, Eduardo Correa, what does the future hold for these guys?" I think that Eduardo Correa is
going to be a mystery in the sense that he is doing the Flex Pro Show in February as an open guy, and he's grown a lot; he's one of those guys that barely squeezed
in and had to kill themselves to make 202 in the first place. I think with Chris Aceto helping him in the off-season and him taking some time off, not just because of
his injury, he's taken time off generally. I think that you're going to see a very big Eduardo Correa, who's probably even going to have a hard time fitting into the 212,
so it'll be interesting to see what he does at the Flex Pro, if he qualifies. If he wins the show or comes in Top 3, you may not even see Eduardo in a 212 show this
year. A lot of these guys, like Jose and Eduardo, are going to be switching back and forth, I think even Kevin English may switch back and forth. 212 is a big number,
you know, if you think about it Craig Richardson was 218 to win a show (an open show). I think you're going to see a lot of these guys, the top 212 guys switching
back and forth this year, and that will make it a little bit more interesting.
Now, #4. "Guy Cisternino, where do I see him in the next five years? Does he have potential to mix it up with the Top 5?" Absolutely, if you remember, Guy
Cisternino got his pro card as a Middleweight, and has been making consistent progress since then. In five years, there's no telling where he'll be. He may be, in five
years, in an open show, you don't know. He definitely has the ability to be at the top of 212 in five years. In five years, he could be at the top of 212 peeled, like when he
won Nationals and got his pro card as a Middleweight. If he's that conditioned at that weight, with his shape, there's really no telling... I trained with Guy Cisternino
before and I can tell you, there's very few guys out there that train harder than Guy. We did arms together and he killed me. So, if he keeps training with that intensity,
eating right (you know, he's super anal, he keeps a diary everywhere of everything he's eating, everything he's doing, everything he puts into the body, coming out of
the body), so if he keeps up this kind of dedication, I would not be surprised to see him at the very top.
"Number 5, are there any other notable guys that deserve a mention and/or guys to watch for from the 202?" I think there's a lot of guys to watch and this change
going to 212 makes... makes it kind of up in the air. We don't know what to expect this year, it may benefit some guys, it may really hurt some guys. Some people who
are towards the bottom of the class, like a Derek Farnsworth, you know Derek's really at the bottom at 140's/150's, Marvin Ward, who's really coming up in the
160's/170's, or even guys who've been around for a while, who have proven themselves as a 202 guy, like Tricky Jackson. Where will he be, when you're standing
next to someone who's squeezing into a 212 Division, that's almost open at this point? I don't know.
There's lot of guys that deserve an honorable mention; there are a lot of guys to watch that are up and coming. One guy that really impressed me was Shaun
Tavernier, from the UK, who looked unbelievable. This is a guy that's, I don't know, 5'3 or something, which is right there at the limit -- he's very impressive and
someone to look forward to. But there are a lot of guys, who are really good and can make a really big impact this year, so I will be very interested. It will be very
interesting to watch this class grow and to see what happens with it, and hopefully become more successful as a 212 Division, hopefully getting more prize money
for the athletes and more attention from the potential sponsors. So I'm hoping that it grows because of this, and not hurt by it.
Christian Duque: Thank you so much for the interview!! I'd love to end this great interview with a Name/Word Association. You can reply with a few words or a
paragraph.
Aaron Singerman: Alright, so anyone that listens to my shows knows that I like to do word association games for other people; I interview people occasionally, so I
appreciate the opportunity to one here Christian, myself. I'm just going to say the first thing that comes to my mind when I say these names of people or places.
Alright Christian, that's it. Thank you very much for the opportunity; this was an unusual interview and I appreciate the opportunity to do this, and I'm looking forward to
see what you come up with. Good job with all your work.
paragraph.
Aaron Singerman: Alright, so anyone that listens to my shows knows that I like to do word association games for other people; I interview people occasionally, so I
appreciate the opportunity to one here Christian, myself. I'm just going to say the first thing that comes to my mind when I say these names of people or places.
- Dave Palumbo - hard worker, workaholic, loves what he does, good person.
Nonpoint - one of the bands I listen to when I work out. Good band. Angry enough,
but not too angry to be distracting, no screaming.
Sean Andros - crazy hard worker, young, up and coming guy, amazing rise from Assistant to Editor in Chief
Super DMZ Rx - The most powerful, potent, legal supplement - maybe ever.
French Quarter - good place to visit and bring friends to, but not a place I'd like to go regularly.
Obama - Mm.. not impressed.
Ron Paul - Interesting... guy.
Marriage - I'm for it!
Family - the most important thing.
Cheat Meal - pop tarts, ice cream, alcohol
PJ Braun & Twitter - he beat me, that motherfucker
Mr. G & Wigs - Ridiculous, but people liked him
Gotta get this done today - I say that from Sunday to Wednesday every week.
Alright Christian, that's it. Thank you very much for the opportunity; this was an unusual interview and I appreciate the opportunity to do this, and I'm looking forward to
see what you come up with. Good job with all your work.
| This Interview was transcribed directly from audio. It may not read perfectly, but it was written exactly how Aaron said. Enjoy! |