Gymrat’s Weblog

Scandinavia’s No 1 meeting point for the Scandinavian market!

• Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
• Date: December 8-9

The Fitness Festival was first held in its original form in 1986. The festival has grown to become Scandinavia’s natural meeting point for the fitness and wellbeing trends of today and tomorrow. In 2007 the festival is set to be the best ever. Hopefully both where marketing and the number of visitors are concerned. visitor statistics show an ever rising number of visitors and we reckon on welcoming at least 10.000 high quality visitors this year.

The Fitness Festival represents an opportunity for club owners, personal trainers and active people from all over Scandinavia to meet under one roof. And over the course of the festival there will be activities going on all the time to attract visitors from the growing Scandinavian fitness market.

Show Profile

Sports nutrition, fitness and training equipment, wellbeing and beauty, health, care and rehabilitation, consultancy for the fitness & wellbeing sector, aerobics, music and fashion.

The amateur competitors marching in and disrobing for Luciapokalen Bodybuilding:
The World’s Biggest Beginner Bodybuilding Competition!

Last year Ronnie.cz made a cool application where you could compare all Mr. Olympia contestants with each other, pose for pose (based on photos from FLEX Online from the prejudging). This year the application is hosted on www.mr-olympia.eu:

Technorati Tags: Mr. Olympia, Jay Cutler, Bodybuilding, Ronnie Coleman, Olympia

In todays edition of The New York Times Eva Birath, a Swedish female bodybuilder who started competing at 47, is profiled in the article “At 51, Establishing a New Body of Work“. Visit Evas home page and blog!

Eva Birath’s decision to go from a harried marketing executive to professional bodybuilder was an almost-unheard-of career change.

In December 2002, Eva was laid off. Birath sold her house and moved into an apartment. She sold her car. She had no idea what to do next.

She began going to a nearby gym, where one of the regulars told her she had a good physique for bodybuilding. She found out about a tournament to be held the following December and she signed up, despite knowing virtually nothing about the sport — how to diet, how to train, how to pose.

“It was very unusual for someone to begin bodybuilding at my age, but I thought my age was one bit of the challenge,” said Birath, who is now 51. “I think all people have preconceptions, like that bodybuilders are all stupid. I think I probably thought bodybuilders were a bit stupid, too.”

Technorati tags: Bodybuilding, Female Muscle, Fitness, Muscle, Babes, Weight training, Gym

Technorati Tags: Mr. Olympia, Jay Cutler, Bodybuilding, Ronnie Coleman, Olympia

This job ad was posted to Arbetsförmedlingen, a Swedish employment agency with over 325 local offices, on Monday:

Wanted: Posing oil smearer for the Swedish Championships in Bodybuilding/Fitness (1 Position)

We at eSunLess are looking for a nice, energetic person for helping us at the Swedish Championships in Bodybuilding/Fitness, October 13-14 (Saturday-Sunday).

Your duty will be to take care of all the bodybuilding and fitness competitors need for posing oil, right before they step onto stage.

It is important that you are comfortable taking responsibility. Send a photo of yourself.

Salary: 500 Swedish Kroner per day (about US$75).

In comments to the Swedish media (who naturally picked up on the story after it began to be e-mailed, blogged about and discussed in forums) the companys owner, Luke Ray, said:

The posing oil is extremely important, the amount has to be just right. Too much and the muscles are obscured, and the competitor can place last instead of winning.

Over 70 people have answered the ad - so far. Mostly female applicants in their twenties…

Technorati Tags: Advertising, Bodybuilding, Fitness, Viral, Viral Marketing, Fun, Jobs, Employment, Muscles, Work, Career, Marketing, PR, Babe, Girls, Guys, Hunk, bikini, trunks, Sweden, word of mouth, buzz marketing, online advertising

Update: Now Sweden’s largest tabloid has a report on it’s web-tv channel. Click on the image below to view how the pro explains to the person not familiar with bodybuilding how and why the posing oil is applied:

BSN Online, supplement sponsor to Ronnie Coleman, announces his retirement from the Olympia competition stage:

Amidst a whirlwind of speculation, Internet message board gossip, hearsay, conjecture and bodybuilding industry rumors for the last year, 8-Time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman and arguably the greatest bodybuilder of all time has just shocked the world by announcing that he will be officially retiring from Olympia competition after this upcoming Mr. Olympia contest on September 29th.

Ronnie, knee-deep in contest prep and in all-out training camp mode, was just quoted moments ago as saying, “This is it for me at the Olympia, and September 29th will be the last time I step on a Mr. Olympia stage. I want to thank God, my family, my friends, all the great fans who have supported me over the years, Weider and especially BSN. I don’t take anything for granted and appreciate all the support from the bottom of my heart. I’ll see you all at the Olympia!”

But it is not a total retirement, as FLEX Online reports from the interview on Monday with on Pro Bodybuilding Weekly:

Coleman, however, stopped short of saying he was retiring from the sport entirely. “I like a lot of the European stuff, so maybe the European stuff or the Arnold Classic if I can get my nerves up for that,” Coleman said of where he would compete next, if not at the Olympia. “But definitely, I would like to do the European Stuff if they can have it any more over there, because the tour has already been cancelled for this year.”

When pressed by hosts Dan Solomon and Bob Cicherillo on why he would become the first Olympia winner to lose the O, then go on to compete in other competitions, Coleman answered, “The Olympia is no small task, that’s a big task. There’s a lot of pressure going into it, a lot of work you gotta put your body through and stuff. Just the Olympia atmosphere itself is so, so big. And I’ve done that for so many years now. It comes to a point where you have to move on and do some other things.”

Technorati Tags: Mr. Olympia, Jay Cutler, Bodybuilding, Ronnie Coleman, Olympia, Bob Cicherillo, Supplements, BSN

Richard Dawson returned to the Family Feud after a nine year absence for a special week of charity shows. In this full episode the American Gladiator men (Saber, Nitro, Laser, and Hawk) are playing against the American Gladiator women (Sky, Ice, Zap (mad sexy), and Panther):

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Technorati Tags: American Gladiators, Family Feud, Gladiators, Richard Dawson, TV, Awesome

Here’s links to clips from the second season of Ellen, Ellen Degeneres’ 1994-1998 sitcom, that features her character appearing on American Gladiators. Ellen dates Nitro after trying out for the show in this episode. Appearances by Hawk, Nitro and Ice. Here’s a longer synopsis:

Ellen tags along with Adam when he goes to try out for “American Gladiators”, but the only way she can get into the arena is if she tries out. So she does. Unfortunately for Adam’s dreams, Ellen makes the cut and he doesn’t. As they are leaving, Ellen is approached by Nitro, who proceeds to ask Ellen on a date. She says “yes”, even though Nitro isn’t really her type.

After they go out a couple of times, he dumps Ellen, claiming there was no chemistry. When Ellen arrives for her competition, Ice (Nitro’s female equivalent) makes fun of Ellen because Nitro dumped her and because Ellen is a scrawny little thing. This taunting makes Ellen angry, and when the two women square off in the pugil-stick competition, Ellen lets Ice have it.

Watch part 1 on YouTube | Watch part 2 on YouTube | Watch part 3 on YouTube

Technorati Tags: American Gladiators, Ellen, Ellen Degeneres, Gladiators, TV, YouTube, Awesome

The BBC Three program The Real Hustle educates viewers about how hustlers, scam artists, thiefs and swindlers do their dirty deeds. In this episode they demonstrates a simple way for a thief to help their self to your valuables, which you thought you had safely locked up in the locker room cabinets. For more education, visit their YouTube page.

Technorati Tags: BBC, Gym, Hustle, Hustlers, Locker Room, Locks, Scams, The Real Hustle, Thiefs, TV, Video, YouTube

Open casting calls for American Gladiators to take place in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Miami and Dallis starting Saturday, September 8 according to an NBC press release from September 6, 2007:

NBC is bringing back the classic competition series “American Gladiators” and will be auditioning both contenders and gladiators for the upcoming season beginning Saturday, Sept. 8 in Los Angeles before moving onto four additional cities around the U.S including New York, Chicago, Miami and Dallas.

The show’s contenders are “weekend warriors” who have excelled and take pride in their level of fitness and want to test their physical ability in the Gladiator Arena. The “gladiators” are a charismatic and eclectic group of warriors who are ready to take down our everyday challengers with hard knocks and explosive attitudes.

As in the traditional “American Gladiators” franchise, the everyday athletes compete against the professionals in physically challenging contests. Classic events such as the joust, The Wall, Hang Tough and the Eliminator will be played in front of an arena filled with thousands of rabid spectators.

Open castings will be held at the following locations:

• LOS ANGELES, CA Saturday, September 8
  9:00am 5:00pm
  Gold’s Gym
  360 Hampton Drive
  Venice, CA 90291
• BROOKLYN, NY Saturday, September 15
  10:00am 3:00pm
  PAERDEGAT ATHLETIC CLUB
  Sports Field
  1510 Paerdegat Ave. N
  Brooklyn, NY 11236
• CHICAGO, IL Sunday, September 16
  9:00am 5:00pm
  Windy City Fieldhouse
  2367 W. Logan Blvd.
  Chicago, IL 60647
• MIAMI, FL Saturday, September 22
  10:00am 3:00pm
  The Ice Palace Film Studios
  STAGE 1
  1400 North Miami Ave
  Miami, Florida 33136
• DALLAS, TX Saturday, September 22
  10:00am 6:00pm
  ARLINGTON COURTS
  2500 E. Mayfield Rd.
  Arlington, TX 76014

All contestants must come dressed in workout attire and appropriate footwear to be considered. They will be tested on physical ability in areas such as strength, speed, balance and agility. We recommend bringing a workout towel and water with you to the audition. All contestants must be at least 18 years of age and a legal US resident.

• Please bring a non-returnable photo of yourself along with a completed application to the open call.
• Open Call Lines will begin forming 2 hours before the start time. Please do not line up prior to that.
• Time is limited and there is no guarantee that everyone will be seen-so please arrive early.

Viewers unable to attend the casting call but still want to be considered can log onto www.nbc.com/casting, and click “American Gladiators” to apply.

Technorati Tags: American Gladiators, Gladiators, TV, NBC, Awesome

In the latest installment of Bodybuilding.coms pre-Olympia video series Bob Cicherillo travels to Las Vegas, Nevada, to meet Jay Cutler for an interview in Jay’s home, and a back workout in “Jay’s” Gold’s Gym in Vegas. Five weeks out from Mr. Olympia, what are Cutler’s thoughts?

Watch Mr. Olympia himself, Jay Cutler, get ready for the 2007 Mr. Olympia rematch. Can he beat Ronnie Coleman and Victor Martinez again this year and successfully defend his crown?

Complete Olympia: The Series Listing with links:

• Introduction: Series Trailer - Date: 6/29/2007
• Episode #1: Marcus Haley - Date: 7/09/2007
• Episode #2: Annie Rivieccio - Date: 7/17/2007
• Episode #3: Silvio Samuel Saviour - Date: 7/20/2007
• Episode #4: Toney Freeman - Date: 7/24/2007
• Episode #5: Darrem Charles - Date: 7/27/2007
• Episode #6: Dayana Cadeau - Date: 7/31/2007
• Episode #7: Melvin Anthony - Date: 8/3/2007
• Episode #8: Quincy Taylor - Date: 8/7/2007
• Episode #9: Ronnie Coleman - Date: 8/14/2007
• Episode #10: Johnnie O. Jackson - Date: 8/17/2007
• Episode #11: Monica Brant-Peckham - Date: 8/21/2007
• Episode #12: Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler - Date: 9/04/2007

Technorati Tags: Mr. Olympia, Jay Cutler, Bodybuilding, Ronnie Coleman, Olympia, Ms. Olympia, Bob Cicherillo, Gold’s Gym, Gym, Fitness Olympia, Fitness, Annie Rivieccio, Dayana Cadeau, Monica Brant-Peckham, Monica Brant

The new September issue of Muscletime Magazine has just been posted online. From the Content:

• News & Gossip! New Pro - Erik Fankhouser; PLUS - Eddie Abbew 4 weeks out!
• 2007 Olympia predictions! heck out our photo preview of the 2007 Mr. Olympia - the Re-Match
• More Europa pics & clip! Check out some new awesome photos and a video from Dallas Europa comparisons
• NEW Europa Snapshots: Check out some more snapshots we took in Texas
• MT Poster & Muscle History: On the poster - Ronnie Coleman; MT history - Achim Albrecht
• MT Digitorial & Reps: News from the MT crew and MT Reps with Sami Al Haddad
• Transformer - new series! Quincy Taylor in 2000 and in 2007 !
• Coming up: A sneak peak into our 2nd September issue…

Click on the image below to go to the home page of the excellent online magazine from Austria:

Saturday Night Live’s Will Forte visits Late Night with Conan O’Brien to talk about his new film, The Brothers Solomon. But first he tells us about one persons unusual behavior in the men’s locker room at the NBC gym. Band leader Max Weinberg blow dries his nuts!

Technorati Tags: Conan, Conan O’Brien, Late Night, NBC, Max Weinberg, Gym, Locker Room, Will Forte, SNL, Saturday Night Live, Video, YouTube

Yesterday the European Commission and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) kicked off football season with a campaign promoting physical activity. From the press release:

The advert encourages viewers to get out of their armchairs and be physically active, using the slogan “Go on, get out of your armchair’. Millions of Europeans are expected to view the advert, as it will be screened free of charge during the half-time break of this season’s televised Champions League football games.

EU Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou said: “Europeans are eating too much and exercising too little, which explains why more than half of European adults are overweight or obese. Through this TV advertising campaign we aim to help viewers better understand the importance of physical exercise in living healthier lives and encourage them to introduce physical activity in their daily routines.”

In related news a Danish pilot project has shown that regular football practice is much more successful at boosting fitness than regular jogging. The blog Conditioning Research (publishes summaries of scientific research on fitness, strength, diet and performance) explains the effects of interval training:

I have put up a few posts about the benefits of interval training - short intense intervals of work separated by rest periods. I’ve also mentioned some problems with respect to the standard prescription for aerobic exercise of long slow endurance type training / “cardio”.

The researchers examined the effect of training on a football team, comparing their performance to a group who were just jogging. The sport - the power law application with high intensity work and lots of low intensity stuff too - led to improvements in insulin sensitivity, balance, muscle mass and body composition.

Technorati Tags: Advertising, EU, European Commission, European Union, Exercise, Health, Fitness, Obesity, Video, YouTube

Ocala Star-Banner reports:

Arthur A. Jones, inventor of the Nautilus exercise equipment and founder of the Jumbolair estate in Anthony, died at about 4:40 a.m. today at his Ocala home. Jones was 80. His son, William, said he died of natural causes.

In 1970, he introduced Nautilus equipment, “the first of its kind marketed to utilize the principle of variable resistance to develop muscles and build strength,” according to MedX.

The article concludes with this quote:

“I hope that Arthur Jones’ contributions in the fields of fitness, sports medicine, exercise physiology and orthopedic rehabilitation will be recognized and appreciated,” said MedX executive Jim Flanagan, who worked with Jones from 1971 to 1996.

For much more on Arthur A. Jones, visit Arthur Jones Exercise, where you can read Arthur Jones’ written works free online, hosted by the Personal Trainer Certification I.A.R.T. Also visit the web site for MedX Corporation, which Arthur Jones created in 1986.

At Dr. Ellington Darden’s High-Intensity Training forum the thread about Arthur Jones’ passing is moving reading.

Nautilus, Inc. recognizes the passing of the founder of Nautilus Equipment:

The Nautilus, Inc. (NYSE: NLS) staff and board sadly acknowledge the passing of Arthur Jones, the inventor of Nautilus® training equipment in 1970 that has served as the standard of strength training equipment for nearly four decades.

“The fitness innovations Mr. Jones brought to market are what first established the Nautilus brand as the gold standard in fitness,” said Bob Falcone, Chairman and CEO of Nautilus, Inc. “We are pleased to carry on his legacy of innovation with a complete line of cardiovascular and strength equipment bearing the Nautilus brand.”

Update: Both New York Times and The Washington Post now has articles about Mr. Jones passing:

Mr. Jones was a rough-and-tumble character who had six wives, a nearly lifelong smoking habit and an affection for exotic animals like rattlesnakes and crocodiles, which he kept at his farm, the younger Mr. Jones said.

He tinkered with exercise equipment for more than 20 years before creating his first Nautilus machine, called the Blue Monster, in the late 1960s. Mr. Jones presented the equipment at a Mr. America contest in California and started Arthur Jones Productions to sell the equipment. The company’s name was later changed to Nautilus, because the cam, or gear, that was crucial to the machine’s success resembled a nautilus.

Technorati Tags: Arthur Jones, Arthur A. Jones, Nautilus, MedX, Bodybuilding, Fitness, Sports Medicine, Exercise, Exercise Physiology