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by
Trevor Smith
VR:
Yes that was the year of the big earthquake in Southern
California. I was living there at that time with my family,
but after the quake hit I knew I had to get the hell out
of there. It scared the shit out of me thinking that my
children could have been killed. So I decided to move
up to Seattle. During this time things were quite hectic
for me with the move, so training was really very minimal.
I was scheduled to go to Fibo and I knew I had to get
back into training.
TS: But that would
have meant that you had only 2 months to get into shape
and yet you showed up fucking enormous..your all time
biggest. What on earth did you do differently.
VR: I’ll get
to that later.
TS: O.K. well than
let’s talk about what happened when you were at FIBO.
VR: Well I was standing
with John Brown who is a friend of mine and we were commenting
on the attitudes of some of the bodybuilders like Flex
and a few others. Kevin Levrone was totally cool and respectful
to me as was Dorian, but a lot of the other young guys
were making comments like I was fat and out of shape and
wouldn’t do anything on stage. Now I was all covered
up so I just laughed to myself. But John Brown kept telling
me to go onstage on the last day when they have the group
posedown. At first I did not want to do it... but as I
heard more and more comments I figured I would have a
little fun.
TS: So you weren’t
scheduled to be onstage
VR: No. but I went
up and told the announcer that I would be joining the
guys on stage and he got all excited. Anyway, after the
guys were onstage, I stripped down and as I was walking
out the announcer who was speaking in German apparently
said that I was the biggest man on the planet and the
un-crowned Mr. Olympia. Now I did not tell him to say
that, and quite frankly didn’t know what he was saying
cause he was speaking German. All I know is one of the
promoters who was good friends with Dorian went crazy
and grabbed the microphone from the announcer and started
screaming that I was a bloated water tank and could never
compete against these guys.
TS: Funny... .But
what was the crowds reaction
VR: They went nuts...
they loved it
TS: How about the other athletes.
VR: They were in total
disbelief at my size. Kevin Levrone was totally cool and
told me I would destroy everyone if I ever got into contest
shape and that if I wanted to compete he would help me
get ready.
TS: How about Dorian.
VR: I like Dorian
a lot... but I saw him backstage after and his head was
down and he was very solemn. I told him I did not mean
to disrespect him in any way and that I thought he was
a great champion. But I couldn’t help but get the
feeling he was dejected a bit because I was so much bigger
than he was
TS: I remember one
of the magazines had a small photo and I was longing to
see more... but nobody ever touched the subject... it
was like it never happened and yet I would think that
would be big news to see you posing off against Dorian.
VR: Yeah, certain
powers that be made sure that not too many pictures were
published from that day.
TS: I still have that
one pic of you cut out and on my wall for inspiration.
But I must say again in all fairness to Dorian, he didn’t
look fully loaded as a few years later I saw him guest
pose in N.Y. and at 300lbs. he looked fucking insane and
a lot bigger than at Fibo that year with you. Now that
would have been a wild posedown. Two of the biggest men
in the sport. Christ through in an off season Ronnie Coleman
and Nasser El Sonbaty and they would have to reinforce
the fucking stage.
TS: Let’s switch
topics a bit. Who are some of your favorite bodybuilders
from today?
VR: Well I think Dorian
was great. Flex has great lines and is actually a smaller
version of me. Kevin Levrone is awesome. Lee Haney was
fantastic. Of course Sergio was amazing.
TS: Let me through
some names out: J.P. Fux
VR: Oh my god... what
a shame what this guy did to himself. I met him years
ago before he made himself look pregnant and thought he
was really good. Then I met him again in Atlanta and did
not recognize him
TS: Paul Dillet:
VR: Paul had the potential
to be very, very freaky, but instead he will go down as
just an average big man. I asked Paul to train with me
when he first came out here and told him if he could rough
it for a year, we would make lots of money going around
guest posing together as two super-freaks. But he never
did.
TS: Greg Kovacs
VR: Greg Kovacs is
a nice guy, I met him a few times, but the hype around
him is a joke. He is not the biggest bodybuilder on the
planet. He is 6’3" and around 375 pounds in
the offseason and he looks terrible at that weight...
certainly not like a bodybuilder. And even if he does
go up to 400lbs. he would still just look like a big ole
football lineman. I am 5’10" and have weighed
as much as 340lbs. But all my muscles are full and round
and have shape and symmetry. I can go find a 6’8"
410lb bodybuilder, but that wouldn’t mean he would
look as freaky and thick and dense as I would.
TS: I know this is
a touchy subject with you, but I have to ask. What are
your theories on drugs in the sport?
VR: Well I get asked
this all the time, and I do not like to answer because
I feel I have to be responsible. I know what I am doing,
but if someone thinks they can do what I do to be like
me and then they hurt themselves, it becomes my fault.
All I can say is there are proven medicinal uses for steroids
and other compounds, which if used properly are very safe.
However, the key is used properly. These days the guys
are using insane amounts and using GH, and insulin as
well. I would never in a million years play around with
insulin or thyroid drugs either. Too dangerous. Besides
if you know enough about nutrition you can effectively
manipulate your own insulin levels to be very beneficial
for building muscles.
TS: Alright, I ain’t
pulling any punches... ..What drugs do you use and which
ones do you feel are the most effective.
VR: Hmmm... ..nice
try Trevor.
TS: Alright, let me
rephrase that. If a bodybuilder were to choose to use
drugs, are there any that you feel are safer and more
effective than others.
VR: Let me just say
that I think androgen-based drugs are shit and very dangerous
and hard on the system. They do nothing but bloat the
hell out of a person and then when they are stopped everything
is lost. A much wiser approach would be to use highly
anabolic compounds. Because if used correctly they can
result in lots and lots of quality muscle that stays with
you for the most part.
TS: Things like equipoise
and winstrol are highly anabolic
VR: Yes
TS: Well in all honesty,
I cannot believe that you don’t feel androgens are
effective... I mean I would have guessed by your condition
at fibo very huge but also holding water that you would
find them somewhat useful
VR: I am not going
to comment on my personal life for the reasons stated
before. I will say, however, that there is one compound
out there that is very androgenic, and very anabolic and
would result in lots of muscle. But it is very toxic and
dangerous and would never be used for any length of time
TS: And what compound
would that be
VR: Parabolan
TS: You know one of the major problems I
see, is that young guys coming up and in established pros,
have a hard time training without the use of drugs and
therefore stay on all the time. Mostly these guys never
put in any time training naturally and once their cycle
is done, they start to crash in size and panic. So rather
than wait to clean the system and learn to train and progress
naturally as well... they hop right back on a course or
at the very least "bridge". Which always cracks
me up because these idiots are never giving their body
a break... which in the long run really hinders their
progress.
VR: I totally agree.
That is the problem. People don’t take the time off
that their bodies need. It would be wise to give the body
4-6 months of total clean time a year... ..but invariable
this happens with only a few. But they are the few that
will be around for a long time and be healthy to boot.
The other problem they have is they think drugs are the
key which they are not. Nutrition and training are the
keys
TS: Precisely my thoughts.
Whenever I work with someone... whether a Pro or an Amateur
the first thing I tell them is I have no secrets or magic
bullets. Just common sense and balls to the wall effort.
That is what makes the difference. K.I.S.S. This brings
me to my next question. Years back you claimed that you
ate a daily diet of around 30,000 kcals. Now that is fucking
absurd and is more than a fucking gorilla or a lion would
eat.
VR: I agree... it
is totally absurd and I never said that. Well I did, but
it was taken out of context, like most of the information
in the magazines. I was asked what the most amount of
calories I ate in a day was and I told the person conducting
the interview that it was probably 30,000 but that was
simply because I was eating Nigerian foods which are heavily
loaded with lots and lots of fats. I never said I ate
30,000 kcals on a regular basis and certainly not from
Rice, Chicken and vegetables. You have to understand I
basically did everything that I wasn’t supposed to
in terms of playing the political angle in bodybuilding.
I marched to my own beat and still had lots of fans and
still made a good living and this pisses off the powers
that be. So ANY opportunity to make me look like a fool
and discredit me they will. But I will not be made to
look like a fool. I am college educated and have a degree
in psychology. My family are all doctors, so there is
no shortage of intelligence in my genes and certainly
a lot more when compared to the people that participate
and run this sport.
TS: Ouch! Someone’s
not too happy.
VR: No, I am just
saying it like it is. |
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