WHAT DO YOU THINK OF IT WHEN, AFTER THE FACT, SOMEONE CLAIMS THEY REALLY BEAT YOU IN A SHOW THAT YOU WON?
ANSWER
It happens all the time, at every level of the sport. In the end, the truth is that you won, and no one can take that from you. I’ve heard other people say, “I really won the last Olympia,” and all I can say is, “You didn’t win.” Stop listening to that inner circle of people who are telling you what you want to hear—because you missed out on the chance to be the best you on that day. Find someone who will be truthful with you and ask them. Then say, “No excuses. I did my best and I lost and I plan to come back better and take home some metal at the next contest.” Instead of doing that, there are excuses, and because of that, more hate flows—and it doesn’t serve any good purpose.
QUESTION
WAS ARNOLD RIGHT ABOUT OPEN BODYBUILDERS NEEDING TO WATCH THEIR ABS?
ANSWER
All due respect to Arnold and everything he has accomplished, but I don’t think his comments about our waists helped anything. If you look at the O stage in 2016, there wasn’t anyone with that issue—stomachs were under control—but instead of people seeing that what is being said is not really true, distended stomachs is another go-to thing for people to use to give the sport a hard time. There are other ways that could have been presented. The open class has eveolved over time to become what we are today. We have to stop worshipping the old days to the extent that we believe the way it was done then is the way we have to do it now.
