MUSCLE MAGAZINE
CALIFORNIA AND BUST
On Thursday, June 28, 2007 I flew into sunny Sacramento,
California from the Hawaiian island of Oahu to attend the 2007 NGA California Bodybuilding
and Figure Championships to be held in Folsom the coming Saturday. The shows promoter was a former member of my
Staten Island Bodybuilding Club named John Carrero. John had invited me to participate as a judge and to receive an
award at the event. I was also looking
forward to seeing John's brother Joe, who also was a former student of mine and
who went on to become a national bodybuilding champion. The Friday before the show I happily met
with John and Joe at a judges and competitors meeting. It was good to see the brothers since it had
been a decade since I last met with them and it felt like old times in not
losing a step in our friendship. At the
meeting we reminisced about days past as the competitors looked on with
interest. The hungry athletes seemed
ready and eager to flex their stuff as the clocked ticked closer to the
competition. During the reunion John
planted a seed in my brain asking me if I would blow up a hot water bottle at
the show. Having been on vacation in
Hawaii and not prepared for this dangerous feat of strength I was unsure if I
should try it and said I would think about it.
The following day
at the pre-judging I sat next to the shows head judge Joe Carrero. About 25 years early Joe and I judged a New
Jersey competition together and now here we were on the West coast in similar
roles. One by one the competitors took
to the stage. The competition was
fierce and made the judging difficult. To
date this was the highest level of competition the NGA California Championships
ever saw. The mandatory and comparison
rounds went off like clockwork and the scores were tallied for the night's
finals.
The evening show was filled with an enthusiastic audience. The crowd had come to cheer on their
favorites as the curtains opened to a stage filled with competitors as the star
spangled banner was sung. Class by
class the athletes battled for their placing. The award presentation would be at the end of the show. Given would be bronze Herculean sculptures and
a sword created by Neil Anderson. John
Carrero acted as MC and helped the show run smoothly with his professionalism. As the night's competitions unfolded the time
came for John to present me with an award for being a mentor to him as well as
many natural athletes throughout America.
John told the
audience about how he and his brother Joe had started their bodybuilding
careers at my Staten Island Bodybuilding Club in the late 1970s and how I had
mentored them during their beginning days setting the correct course for their
success in the sport. He than went on
to speak about my natural bodybuilding lifestyle calling me a true Superman. A Superman because I not only stayed away
from all drugs in the sport but because I followed a natural diet, exercised
daily, and maintained a positive outlook on life throughout the decades. With that John loudly called my name as I
heard the theme from the movie “Superman” echo off the auditoriums walls. Proudly and with some emotion I took to the
stage as John presented me with a plaque as recognition for being a mentor to
many natural athletes in America. I
thanked John for his thoughtfulness and than gave the following speech.
"Well it's nice to be here in sunny California. I would like to thank John Carrero for
inviting me here tonight to accept this award. I have known John since the mid 1970s and let me say he is
dedicated to his cause in promoting natural bodybuilding in California. 
In 1998 John competed in my NGA Eastern
Regional Classic and he brought the house down with his symmetrical physique
while deservingly winning the best poser trophy that evening. It is because of men like John Carrero who
have the vision and will to take a stand against drugs in our sport that the
natural bodybuilding movement continues to grow not only in America but
worldwide.
Tonight I am receiving an award for being a mentor. A mentor can only be as good as the student
he trains. Sure I am knowledgeable in
training, nutrition, and the sport of bodybuilding. I have been pumping iron since 1965 and have learned quite a bit
through trial and error, and let me tell you there have been quite a few errors
along the way. Throughout my many years
as a bodybuilder I have participated in many facets of the sport. I have been a gym owner, trainer,
competitor, fitness author, promoter, judge, and just about everything else
related to the sport. I have learned
that bodybuilding is the scientific application of proper nutrition, exercise,
rest, and positive mental attitudes, and that each individual is unique with
different requirements to achieve his or hers ultimate goals. Each athlete you see here on stage tonight
is unique. Each has sacrificed time,
sweat and pain to flex their stuff before you. Each has a burning desire to win and deserves your applause for
being here.
Tonight I am here
in large part because of one of my students. This student joined my Staten Island Bodybuilding Club in 1978 at
the age of fourteen. From the onset he
showed enormous potential and a burning desire to achieve, while displaying a
positive attitude that flowed with confidence as he listened to the advice I
gave him. While other members of my gym
made excellent gains in their training it was nothing next to this up and
coming muscle wonder. Day by day this
new student would come to my gym straight from school carrying his text books
in one hand a protein drink in the other. It was a pleasure to watch him progress as I charted out his diet
and training and set his path for success. In just five months of training he gained 20 pounds of solid
natural muscle and was on a course to set history. In May of 1978, and now at the seasoned age of 15, he entered Dan
Lurie’s Mr. Staten Island competition and shocked the sold out audience with
his flawless symmetry and dense muscularity coming in a close second in what
was probably the greatest lineup the Staten Island show ever saw. At the end of the night he was also awarded
with trophies for best back, chest, and poser in the overall Mr. New York City
competition, which had a field of 78 competitors. Yes my new student shined that night and caught the eye of Denie,
who was than the editor of Muscle Training Illustrated. Denie requested that I write an article for
MTI about this new up and coming bodybuilding star. Happily I wrote the story and titled it “15-Year Old Muscle Wonder”. Well the spark was lit! The day the story hit the news stands my new
superstar’s ego grew faster than the universe. There was no stopping him now! He went on a tear, dominating the bodybuilding stage for a span of
fourteen years, flexing his Herculean physique against some of the best
bodybuilders in the United States. 
Today this former
national bodybuilding champion continues with his training and in 2006 launched
a new web site in his name that is very informative as well as entertaining. He has also been featured on CNBC as an
expert on the California real estate market and in 2007 was the host of an
international marketing campaign for a major fitness manufacturer. He is here tonight, as he has been for the
past several years helping his brother John promote natural bodybuilding in
California. He is a long time friend of
mine and is the head judge for tonight’s NGA California Bodybuilding &
Physique Championships, Mr. Joe Carrero (Note: upon hearing his name the
audience gave Joe a great applause as he took to the stage and said a few words
about our friendship...I than continued with the speech).
During the past few decades the sport of bodybuilding has
suffered from the use of anabolic steroids, growth hormones, diuretics, and
drugs used for the purpose of building muscle and strength. Many well known bodybuilders have died long
before their time. Many live on
dialysis and with heart ailments not knowing what their future may bring. Some sell their bodies to afford these
dangerous drugs which can cost in the thousands of dollars annually. The anabolic drug scene has been a dark cloud
that has lasted to long over a sport with such great potential. Today those dedicated to physical culture
have begun to prevail as the sport of natural bodybuilding begins to shine
through that dark cloud. It’s a good verses evil scenario that can
have only one positive outcome. I will
to do my part in this fight against drugs in our sport by setting an example
for others to follow as I continue to promote natural bodybuilding throughout
America. I invite each and every one of
you here tonight to join me in this battle by helping to promote natural
bodybuilding in your local gyms and communities.
In closing let me say that natural bodybuilding is the
closest thing you’ll ever get to the fountain of youth. Not only does it bring quality muscle and
lots of strength, but most importantly of all it brings lasting health,
vitality, and an inner well being not realized by many. There are no guarantees in life, but all of
us should continually strive to improve upon our health and fitness each and
every day. Like Rocky Balboa once said
“it’s not about how hard you can hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and
keep moving forward, how much you can take and keep moving forward”. Well that same philosophy applies to all of
our lives. In time we all get knocked
down along life’s path. It’s those with
the inner fortitude to get back up and with the persistence to keep moving forward,
that will go the distance in this ever changing game of life."
As I finished
speaking John took the microphone and told the audience that I was going to
attempt to blow up a hot water bottle. It was an attempt since I had been on vacation in Hawaii and not
had time to practice for this dangerous feat of strength. With that the theme song from the movie “Rocky”
"Gonna Fly Now" began to play loudly as I walked to center stage while
putting on goggles to protect my eyes. I felt good inside. This
was where I belonged. The music was
loud, the crowd was cheering, and the pressure was on. As I began to force air into the hot water
bottle I began to feel the resistance of the latex rubber. This wasn't going to be easy I thought to
myself. I had performed this feat of
strength so many times before since the 1970s and here I was again going at it.
I continued forcing air into the hot
water bottle and with each mighty breath the resistance grew stronger. At twenty breaths most hot water bottles
would explode, but not this one, this baby was going to make me give it
everything I had. As the music
continued to blast the audience cheered me on in a frenzy. There was no way I was going to let them, the
Carrero brothers, and myself down. With
determination and purpose I forced in more and more air as I battled with this
nostalgic moment. At thirty breaths the impossible began to take shape. Air began to escape from the tremendous
pressure and my face felt the pain of its muscles straining. I was in no mans land and wasn't about to
turn back. It was a test of will as I
struggled to keep the air from going down my lungs and ripping them apart. The crowd was screaming now as I dug deep inside
and continued to force huge breaths into the hot water bottle. It continued to
expand as I forced in more and more air. At thirty five breaths I zoned out and completely focused on the
task at hand. I could no longer hear
the crowd or music as it was do or die. In a violent rage I forced more air into this seemingly endless
void... 36, 37, 38, 39, I raised the beast upwards and from deep within myself forced
a large blast of air into it causing it to explode with a loud thunderous burst
that sent pieces of the monster flying all over the stage. Suddenly I focused to where I was and heard the
crowd screaming in awe as the theme "Gonna Fly Now" framed this historic
moment for a lifetime. Yes this was
where I belonged, as I smiled and bowed to the audience thanking them for their
cheers and support during my difficult performance.
At the shows end every competitor left with a trophy and
smile knowing that they gave it their best. John Carrero had produced another great NGA California competition
and invited everyone out to a local restaurant to eat (I brought my boiled
chicken breast, carrots, celery, and tomato salad). At the restaurant he presented best poser awards to the crowd's
favorite competitors. It was a nice
time that capped off a great day. Sadly
the night had come to an end as I said goodbye to my friends John and Joe Carrero.
It had been great seeing them and
meeting their sister Margaret as well as their parents and Joe's fiancé Jamie. A warmer more loving family you could not
find anywhere.
********
A few words about
Mario Strong by John Carrero in the shows bulletin
To see video portions
of the show go to our MUSCLE VIDEO page