Swedish IFBB Pro bodybuilder Martin Kjellström getting ready to do battle

One of Sweden’s IFBB Pro bodybuilders, Martin Kjellström, is getting ready to start his diet. He will be competing in Santa Susanna Pro Grand Prix in Spain on September 23rd. The Grand Prix awards the top-3 placed athletes with qualifications to the Mr. Olympia 2007 competition, and Martin aims to climb onto the podium. First place is arguably Spain’s Francisco ‘Paco’ Bautista’s to loose – he won last year and it is his home turf…

At his last competition, Grand Prix Australia 2007, Martin took 4th place, after Dexter Jackson, Ronny Rockel, and Vince Taylor respectively. On 5th place, after Martin, was Hidetada Yamagishi from Japan, the perhaps fastest rising male IFBB star of 2007.

On Martins official web site (now with a new blog) recent photos of his off season shape has been published, and updates is promised. Fredrik Carlsson, a friend of Martins, is hosting a video of Martins shape eleven weeks out from St Susanna GP:

Video: Advertisment for weightlifting – Can you do that?

USA Weightlifting promotes itself and its activities with a funny tv commercial, that will run 25 times on CSTV (College Sports TV, Wikipedia article).

According to the comments on Youtube the lady who cleans the bar is Natalie Woolfolk (profile at Washington Post), the USA Weightlifting National Champion aims to compete in the 2008 Olympic Games. The weights are props, so instead of 145 kilograms, the bar “only” weighs 46 kilograms…

Via Fitsugar.com

Monica Mollica’s mowifit.com finally online – female muscles and dietary advice

Monica Mollica, née Wieckowski, debuted her revamped web site mowifit.com (now in English) on her birthday, April 14th. Monica has written both heavy and lighter scientific dietary articles for the Swedish bodybuilding magazine where I am employed since the beginning of this millennium. Go check her web site out – she knows her stuff!

Reason for absence of blog posts

I’ve written few blog posts the last month(s), there’s many projects going on at the same time now. I’ve been working on another blog (in Swedish) called Kost & Kropp, which last week went public at www.kostkropp.se. The designer of the blog is none other than Andreas Viklund, famous for his website and wordpress templates. Thanks for a job well done, Andreas!

On kostkropp.se I’ll share the posts with another blogger, Micke,  a personal trainer, group training instructor and freelance writer. The blog will feature posts about health, fitness, motivation, exercise and current events. Exciting! Have a look at the blog here:

A virtual powerlifting meet for international bloggers

The Finnish powerlifter Kristoffer Lindqvist (and blogger: Under the Bar), suggested a brilliant idea to bring together strength training bloggers in an RAW and Natural Open Virtual Powerlifting Meet:

“The idea of staging an international raw meet with near simultaneous lifting venues around the world has been brewing in my head for at least a year now. I don’t know about you, but personally I feel this could give us bloggers the opportunity to be a bit hordish in the spirit of camaraderie and learning from each other. Besides, the idea is wickedly cool, isn’t it?”

Yes, it certainly is, Kristoffer! Here’s a picture from his one-man RAW meet:

Cathy LeFrancois Classic: New NPC Show for 2007

Cathy LeFrancois, lightweight division winner at 2003 Ms. International at Arnold Classic, posted big news in her blog on Thursday:

“I want to announce that I have been awarded the opportunity to put on an NPC show! Fresno Classic, promoted by P3Production and Cathy LeFrancois, will be held on March 10, 2007, in Fresno, California.

The show will have all the disciplines the NPC affords. Men’s and women’s bodybuilding, figure and fitness. Come one, come all – it will be a good time for all that attend. All are welcome, from the experienced to the first time competitor. More information will be posted in the days coming.”

Cathy abandoned bodybuilding for figure competitions. In her latest last figure show on May 27th, 2006 California State Pro Figure Championships, Cathy placed 12th out of 31 competitors. But now she is back to bodybuilding:

“I was at the Collegiate Show of Lonnie Teper. I told him that some judges were telling me I should consider maybe going back to bodybuilding because I am in the middle, too big for figure and too small for bb. After we talked we decided that I should do a surprise guest pose! ME? I haven’t trained for the last 2 years at all!

But it didn’t turn out like I thought it would, people did enjoy the impromptu guest posing. Afterwards Lonnie asked the audience what I should do: stay in figure or go back to bodybuilding? By my surprise I had the bodybuilding vote! So thanks to them for bringing me back where I belong and giving me this wonderful motivation to go back to my profession “Pro Bodybuilder”…”

From 2007 Arnold Sports Festival includes amateur Bodybuilding, Fitness, and Figure championships

For Immediate Release: August 4, 2006:

“The Arnold Sports Festival 2007 will premiere the two-day Arnold Amateur Bodybuilding, Fitness, and Figure Championships Friday, March 2 and Saturday, March 3 in Columbus, Ohio. This exciting and inspirational two-day event will showcase the aspiring talents of top male and female competitors from across the United States vying for top amateur status in men’s and women’s bodybuilding, and women’s fitness and figure.

The Arnold Amateur Bodybuilding, Fitness, and Figure Championships is expected to attract high caliber athletes from across the United States who have already placed in the top five or won at national qualifiers. The event will be judged by top judges from the NPC (the National Physique Committee). The total number of athletes accepted to compete will be limited. The first 15 athletes who register and meet the qualifying requirements to enter the men’s and women’s bodybuilding divisions will be accepted. The first 20 Fitness athletes and Figure athletes that register and meet the eligibility requirements will be accepted into the competition. The registration deadline is January 15, 2007.

Sponsorship inquiries are welcome for the Arnold Amateur Bodybuilding, Fitness, and Figure Championships by telephoning Bob Lorimer at 614/430-5962 or Mike Davies at 614/521-3510 or visit www.arnoldclassicamateurbodybuilding.com.

For more information please visit www.arnoldsportsfestival.com.”

There is also a blog to answer any questions you may have concerning the Arnold Classic Amateur Bodybuilding, Fitness, and Figure Championships.

There is now a discussion tread on the subject over at Muscle Mayhem, everyone seems optimistic about this development.

Annie Rivieccios countdown pics for the 2006 Ms. Olympia

Annie Rivieccio will be posting photos of her shape until she competes in 2006 Ms. Olympia on her blog. Last year Annie won the heavyweight class at New York Pro Championships and came 13th at 2005 Ms. Olympia. It was her first time competing in the Ms Olympia and her fifth pro show overall.

“This year I will start posting some countdown pics of my prep for the Ms. O. I am so excited to get to compete…again! I will begin posting the pics on Friday each week starting this Friday so please check back to see my progress. I weigh 166lbs right now. I started my diet at 8 weeks this time because I have a terrible time sticking to a diet…”

You know you are a Bodybuilder when…

The Bodybuilding Professor, Roland S Persson, PhD, posted this amusing (and true) list of size troubles in his blog some weeks ago:

You know you have finally made it to bodybuilderdom and become quite muscle bound…

• …when your shirt unintentionally bursts open the first time.
• …when clothing shops do not have your sizes anymore.
• …when unknown people ask how much you bench press.
• …when people turn around in the street to stare at you.
• …when you cannot scratch your neck.
• …when the bar won’t come all the way down to your chest anymore.
• …when you wear out pants in a matter of weeks because of inner thigh friction.
• …when you cannot reach the opposite shoulder to shave.
• …when you cannot undress a tight shirt without assistance.
• …when your feet turn flat because of your weight.
• …when your shopping cart is filled with as much as possible of a few things.
• …when unknown men and women come running across the street asking to feel your arms.
• …when your food bills exceed your clothing bills.
• …when you have sacks or piles of tubs of protein visible in your kitchen.
• …when you need to apply vaseline between your thighs when walking in shorts.
• …when you have no choice but to wear gym clothes at work.
• …when you must sleep on your back in bed.
• …when sex in a bed from IKEA becomes doubtful.
• …when you need two bus seats or aircraft seats when travelling.
• …when you bring food and protein drinks with you at all times.
• …when the table in front of you squeaks and cracks as you merely rest one arm on it.
• …when people declare you a brainless musclehead but simultaneously can’t hide how much they want you for sex.
• …when you no longer fit behind the steering wheel of European city traffic cars.
• …when fellow passengers scream at the air stewardess: I don’t bloody want to sit next to HIM!
• …when fellow professionals ask if you have added “bouncing” to your other qualifications.
• …when you without thinking about it bounce your pex and flex your arms in public.
• …when you change your sounds and vocabulary in the gym doing 600+ lbs squatting.
• …when you spend a good part of the day in the bathroom … reading.
• …when butt-whiping becomes an effort in terms of reach.
• …when you shy away from the word “small”.
• …when one of your turnons is muscle soreness.
• …when you know more about physiology and pharmacology than your family doctor.
• …when food becomes function rather than pleasure.
• …when your shadow provides sunshelter for at least two people.
• …when you can’t help looking like jumbojet taking off with lats forcing your arms outwards.
• …when you have to go through many doors sideways and can give up the thought of heeding Nature’s Call on board an aircraft or a train.
• …when you walk like you have wet yourself.

Powerlifting Watch: Keeping an Eye on the Powerlifting Scene

Even though I’m reasonably well informed about the sport of powerlifting, it is not foremost in my heart (bodybuilding is). Thus I have found it hard to keep up with what’s happening, but no longer. powerliftingwatch.com to the resque! You will find the lastest news from and about the different federations, suspensions, rules for support gear, meet results, new records, what topics that are hot on the different discussion forums, interesting questions about training, etcetera.