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By Mario Strong LET ME INTRODUCE MYSELF
Through my involvement in the sport of bodybuilding, I have made many good friends as well as a few archenemies along the way. I have been a gym owner, trainer, competitor, judge, author, promoter, and just about everything else related to this wonderful sport. I have had the pleasure to workout with some of the biggest names in bodybuilding and have judged those that have judged me. I have trained thousands of students and have learned that each and every one is unique with different needs and goals to meet. I have traveled the country to participate in physique competitions and have enjoyed meeting the many faces of bodybuilding. I have learned much over the decades and have lived the very words that I preach. For the most part my memories in bodybuilding are ones that I cherish: they bring a smile to my face whenever I reflect upon them. As I look to what has changed over the last sixty-plus years in bodybuilding, I sometimes relish the days of true Guts and Glory, when camaraderie existed among the bodybuilders and when there was hope that our sport would one day become a recognized Olympic sport. That hope has long vanished because of the greed and egos of those unable to see the truth of their ill-gotten gains. Outside the natural bodybuilding movement, the sport has become nothing more than a sick lie. Today, the forefathers of physical culture must be turning in their graves, because the enormous anabolic cloud that has darkened the sport of bodybuilding rains with the blood of those too weak to escape its deadly grip. Some people recognize the term natural bodybuilder as describing someone who does not take steroids, growth hormones, or diuretics for the purpose of building muscle and gaining strength. In my eyes, it goes even further than that. I believe that a natural bodybuilder is one that not only shuns muscle-enhancing drugs, but also follows a lifestyle that brings him somewhat closer to nature. We are all from this earth and it is paramount that natural bodybuilders make a conscious effort to attain radiant health by means of living a healthy lifestyle through the proper application of nutrition, exercise, rest, and positive thinking. It is mostly through these basic key factors that optimum health and fitness can ever be realized.
Reflections of a Natural Bodybuilder, tells the story of a man's life, his trials, disappointments and inspiring successes in the pursuit of becoming a champion in the field of bodybuilding, a sport that later had to have "Natural" preface the name to differentiate it from the drugs that came to soften its chiseled and Herculean image. This compelling book explores how Staten Island bodybuilder Mario Strong implements his passion for natural bodybuilding to achieve his quest of health, strength, and longevity. However, his path towards accomplishing these goals is seen not without obstacles as he chronicles his unique history in a sport filled with nostalgia, hope, humor, ego, deceit, pharmaceuticals, pain, and death. Reflections of a Natural Bodybuilder also features tons of beneficial advice. From muscle-building workouts to fat-loss programs, you will find its in-depth natural bodybuilding guide not only informative, but also entertaining and inspirational as well. This fully illustrated book is a must read for the layman and athlete alike. Now available on Amazon and other sites in paperback and digital formats Return to HOME PAGE
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It has been more than six decades since my father first showed me how to lift weights. Like all new trainees, my working knowledge on the subject of weight training was very limited in those early days of my muscle-building career. Through the years, I studied and applied different theories related to physiology and nutrition to my bodybuilding regimen. Over time, it became clear that all my efforts brought valuable gains and rewards my way. Eventually, my knowledge on the subject of physical culture peaked and I began to teach others the benefits of living a natural and healthy lifestyle. I was, and remain someone who practices what he preaches. I am a representation of my practice, and I motivate others to aim toward a healthier way of life.
Mario Strong: Reflections of a Natural Bodybuilder