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Getbig Main Boards => Gossip & Opinions => Topic started by: alexxx on August 29, 2006, 04:36:02 PM

Title: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: alexxx on August 29, 2006, 04:36:02 PM
Now thats a kick ass chest! I read in Flex that Samir was very strong even back then. He would put on 4 plates a side on the bar on the ground and people around him though he was going to do deadlifts. They where all stunned that he used that for barbell rows!

Any kick ass pics and stories are welcome.
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: pobrecito on August 29, 2006, 04:40:20 PM
the lion of lebanon
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: Miss Karen on August 29, 2006, 04:45:52 PM
He always said he would be Mr Olympia even tho he was smooth for years once he found a way to get the water out.1983 Mr Olympia.What is he doing now?.
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: jwb on August 29, 2006, 04:53:43 PM
the ONLY thing samir lacked was round hamstrings IMO

Talk about great shape!

Maxrep used to train with him...
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: ARMZ on August 29, 2006, 04:55:19 PM



Here he is about a month ago at muscle beach..
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: sarcasm on August 29, 2006, 04:56:23 PM

Here he is about a month ago at muscle beach..
hahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! monster legs, he's skin and bones with a fat face to boot, the worst of both worlds.
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: the choad on August 29, 2006, 05:07:37 PM


Here he is about a month ago at muscle beach..

which one is he..
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: jwb on August 29, 2006, 05:08:51 PM
hahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! monster legs, he's skin and bones with a fat face to boot, the worst of both worlds.
lets see you when you are 51 fuckface
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: sarcasm on August 29, 2006, 05:09:20 PM
lets see you when you are 51 fuckface
meltdown.
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: alexxx on August 29, 2006, 05:10:25 PM
meltdown.

No its called a call out.
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: Mr. Intenseone on August 29, 2006, 05:11:01 PM


Here he is about a month ago at muscle beach..

Who is that guy next to him, he looks familiar?
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: jwb on August 29, 2006, 05:12:21 PM
Who is that guy next to him, he looks familiar?
is it ken khuen (sp?)
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: ARMZ on August 29, 2006, 05:18:12 PM
Who is that guy next to him, he looks familiar?


Kent Kuehn
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: fathead on August 29, 2006, 05:26:08 PM
Best thing he ever did was almost killing Jon Lindsey backstage about 2 years ago. He got kicked out of backstage for some reason and he fucked went off! Yelling with that accent. Cursing his ass off literally 5 feet from the stage.  It was beautiful.
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: arce377 on August 29, 2006, 05:31:59 PM
Samir told me I had the best body in the Gym (Golds North Hollywood) when I was a teen...God did that make my day! He also had a HOT blond fitness chick for a girlfriend, that EVERYONE was STARING at!
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: Luga74 on August 29, 2006, 05:40:04 PM
Hey is that the MILF Hunter in the nuthuggers behind the dude sitting down!!!
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: gibberj2 on August 29, 2006, 06:56:03 PM
When he's 51?? Let's see him now!
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: Max_Rep on August 29, 2006, 07:10:46 PM
the ONLY thing samir lacked was round hamstrings IMO

Talk about great shape!

Maxrep used to train with him...

Yes and he was doing Bent Rows with 405 just as Alexxx stated. Samir is a Personal Trainer at Powerhouse Gym in Santa Monica/Brentwood. Same place Lena trains.   

Kent Khuen was in his 40's back then and had an array of HOT girlfreinds that were in there early 20's. Now he works the desk at Angel City Gym in Marina del Rey. His training partner had Sasha Stallone as a client.

All trivia I guess. Samir, Danny Padilla and Rory all had what I considered to be the best "look". I learned from each of them.
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: alexxx on August 29, 2006, 07:19:08 PM
Yes and he was doing Bent Rows with 405 just as Alexxx stated. Samir is a Personal Trainer at Powerhouse Gym in Santa Monica/Brentwood. Same place Lena trains.   

Kent Khuen was in his 40's back then and had an array of HOT girlfreinds that were in there early 20's. Now he works the desk at Angel City Gym in Marina del Rey. His training partner had Sasha Stallone as a client.

All trivia I guess. Samir, Danny Padilla and Rory all had what I considered to be the best "look". I learned from each of them.

Can you tell us more about him? I hear he had some sort of weightlifting background back in lebanon. You know any numbers such as bench?

Thanks for your contributions.
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: Max_Rep on August 29, 2006, 07:28:15 PM
Can you tell us more about him? I hear he had some sort of weightlifting background back in lebanon. You know any numbers such as bench?

Thanks for your contributions.

That was the story but we never did weightlifting in our training. He used to kind of freak me out with some movements being balistic because it looked like he could get injured. They were fairly strict but sometimes they'd be fast and explosive.

I don't rememeber all the poundages but 335 on Inclines for sets and reps. 60 and 70 on dumbell curls. I just don't remember the rest. Once when we were squating and working up he finished a set with 315 and then proceded to do "push presses behind the neck (jerking a little with his legs) for several reps with the same 315.

We trained 3 days on, one off for about 12 sets per body-part.

No matter what shape he was in, he always had those cross-striations in his triceps.
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: Max_Rep on August 29, 2006, 07:30:51 PM
Best thing he ever did was almost killing Jon Lindsey backstage about 2 years ago. He got kicked out of backstage for some reason and he fucked went off! Yelling with that accent. Cursing his ass off literally 5 feet from the stage.  It was beautiful.

Kent or Samir?
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: alexxx on August 29, 2006, 07:31:21 PM
That was the story but we never did weightlifting in our training. He used to kind of freak me out with some movements being balistic because it looked like he could get injured. They were fairly strict but sometimes they'd be fast and explosive.

I don't rememeber all the poundages but 335 on Inclines for sets and reps. 60 and 70 on dumbell curls. I just don't remember the rest. Once when we were squating and working up he finished a set with 315 and then proceded to do "push presses behind the neck (jerking a little with his legs) for several reps with the same 315.

We trained 3 days on, one off for about 12 sets per body-part.

No matter what shape he was in, he always had those cross-striations in his triceps.


Awesome thanks! I remember now reading about the behind the neck press. Great gym momments!
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: tommywishbone on August 29, 2006, 08:30:26 PM
Kent or Samir?

I betting on Samir ;D Kent is very mellow. Real nice guy too. Trained with Arnold for a few years on-and-off, and quite a bit before the 1975 Olympia. Kent knows a lot about bodybuilding.

That picture is strange. It appears that Kent is mad at Samir, and Samir is trying to be nice... anyhoo...
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: Max_Rep on August 29, 2006, 11:12:28 PM
I betting on Samir ;D Kent is very mellow. Real nice guy too. Trained with Arnold for a few years on-and-off, and quite a bit before the 1975 Olympia. Kent knows a lot about bodybuilding.

That picture is strange. It appears that Kent is mad at Samir, and Samir is trying to be nice... anyhoo...

Samir was mellow when I knew him but sort of got a reputation later on. Punching out a European judge will do that.

Yes Kent knows a lot about bodybuilding. He was the first guy I know to do reverse hacks. Then Charles Glass picked up on them and had everyone doing them. Kent used to get in great shape.
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: Max_Rep on August 29, 2006, 11:27:00 PM
Awesome thanks! I remember now reading about the behind the neck press. Great gym momments!

Alex there are a few people on the board that much can be learned from.

Keith (onlyme) is one of them. Mindspin (is he still around, I don't see him post much anymore) is very knowledgable.

Myself only because I trained with Bill Grant, Danny Padilla, Samir, the Mentzers, Rory (under his guidance not with him) and Chick. And I've interviewed about a dozen Pro's for Ironman. Not because I ever competed at a high level. I just made the most out of humble genetics.

Intenseone takes a lot of guff but the guy knows his stuff more than almost anyone on the board. He trained at Bill Pearls gym, trained with Rory and with Bob Paris. He's someone I'd get advice from or send an athlete to who wanted better perfomance. 

There are a few others who have been around. Frankly, I'd much rather contribute training knowledge than get involved in half the arguments and bantering around here.
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: fathead on August 30, 2006, 02:04:37 AM
Kent or Samir?

the arab
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: Scimowser on August 30, 2006, 07:42:42 AM
i love the story where Samir walked into the gym and saw the Mentzers and someone else (Casey Viator maybe?) with 585 on the bar. He gripped it as if to perform a deadlift and was ridiculed for it by them. Ray managed an inch off the floor, Mike got 1 rep barely and Samir did 3-4 easy reps without too much sweat
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: gibberj2 on August 30, 2006, 07:50:08 AM
That's really cool Arnold was a lot stronger than the mentzers then because there's a pic of him deadlifting 700 pounds.
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: alexxx on August 30, 2006, 07:58:50 AM
Alex there are a few people on the board that much can be learned from.

Keith (onlyme) is one of them. Mindspin (is he still around, I don't see him post much anymore) is very knowledgable.

Myself only because I trained with Bill Grant, Danny Padilla, Samir, the Mentzers, Rory (under his guidance not with him) and Chick. And I've interviewed about a dozen Pro's for Ironman. Not because I ever competed at a high level. I just made the most out of humble genetics.

Intenseone takes a lot of guff but the guy knows his stuff more than almost anyone on the board. He trained at Bill Pearls gym, trained with Rory and with Bob Paris. He's someone I'd get advice from or send an athlete to who wanted better perfomance. 

There are a few others who have been around. Frankly, I'd much rather contribute training knowledge than get involved in half the arguments and bantering around here.

Thats why I got into bodybuilding. I agree about the useless arguments but don't you think with a line like "cell phone drivers should be put to death" and a sig "death penalty" that people might just might take you the wrong way? What do you think Samir would think about that? ;)
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: alexxx on August 30, 2006, 07:59:49 AM
i love the story where Samir walked into the gym and saw the Mentzers and someone else (Casey Viator maybe?) with 585 on the bar. He gripped it as if to perform a deadlift and was ridiculed for it by them. Ray managed an inch off the floor, Mike got 1 rep barely and Samir did 3-4 easy reps without too much sweat

Damn thanks I forgot about that.
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: buffbodz on August 30, 2006, 09:01:54 AM
One of the first to spot the perfect Christmas tree lower back.  The back is what won His only 0, but what a back.
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: Max_Rep on August 30, 2006, 10:11:14 AM
Thats why I got into bodybuilding. I agree about the useless arguments but don't you think with a line like "cell phone drivers should be put to death" and a sig "death penalty" that people might just might take you the wrong way? What do you think Samir would think about that? ;)

My 88 year old Mom was walking into a store and was hit by a car the driver was a woman on a cell phone. She's had her entire life thrown upside down and inside out. Know what happened to the woman who hit her? Nothing. Not a thing.

Leave that one alone. The line stays.
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: alexxx on August 30, 2006, 10:24:59 AM
My 88 year old Mom was walking into a store and was hit by a car the driver was a woman on a cell phone. She's had her entire life thrown upside down and inside out. Know what happened to the woman who hit her? Nothing. Not a thing.

Leave that one alone. The line stays.

I'm sorry I had no idea.
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: Max_Rep on August 30, 2006, 02:03:35 PM
I'm sorry I had no idea.

No problem Alexxx,

I didn’t want to change the subject but cell phone drivers caused 2,600 deaths, 330,000 injuries as well as traffic jams and slowed traffic according to this article http://www.livescience.com/technology/050201_cell_danger.html. If you read part 2, those numbers are estimated to be low. I’ve seen people driving and talking without a clue as to what was happening around them.

I don’t really think it should be the death penalty but people need to start paying attention.

By the way Samir was very cool to my Mom when he met her. He even spoke Italian with her since he speaks several languages.

 





Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: alexxx on August 30, 2006, 02:07:35 PM
No problem Alexxx,

I didn’t want to change the subject but cell phone drivers caused 2,600 deaths, 330,000 injuries as well as traffic jams and slowed traffic according to this article http://www.livescience.com/technology/050201_cell_danger.html. If you read part 2, those numbers are estimated to be low. I’ve seen people driving and talking without a clue as to what was happening around them.

I don’t really think it should be the death penalty but people need to start paying attention.

By the way Samir was very cool to my Mom when he met her. He even spoke Italian with her since he speaks several languages.


Well I bet 80% of those accidents are caused by women anyways.

Thats cool. I didn'e know Samir could speak a couple of languages.
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: Max_Rep on August 30, 2006, 02:41:10 PM
Yes about 6 languages, like many Arabs and Europeans. 
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: Max_Rep on August 30, 2006, 02:49:33 PM
Funny story. We had a third guy who we trained with, Samir, Steve and myself. Steve was getting into training on Crystal Meth (Samir and I tried it, hated it and never did it again). Steve would talk so fast because of the Meth that he sounded like a machine gun. So Samir and I started making this machine gun sound whenever we got together. Da, da dizch, da, da dizch. Steve wouldn't know what the hell we were doing. He ended up really going over the deep end and doing time.

Samir and I still do the sound whenever we see each other. Stupid I know but good for a laugh.   

Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: sammy1980 on August 30, 2006, 02:51:39 PM
max_rep: cool stories! Always great to hear what the champs did from someone who actually trained with em.and not the usual bs as they write in the magazines. And i know a few libanese guys who are into bodybuilding..and they all seem to have great genetics..(specially triceps). Great pics of samir, he has always been an inspiration...not to big and with good lines..not like the fucking monkyes in todays bb.
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: Max_Rep on August 30, 2006, 04:03:37 PM
max_rep: cool stories! Always great to hear what the champs did from someone who actually trained with em.and not the usual bs as they write in the magazines. And i know a few libanese guys who are into bodybuilding..and they all seem to have great genetics..(specially triceps). Great pics of samir, he has always been an inspiration...not to big and with good lines..not like the fucking monkyes in todays bb.

My pleasure sammy1980. I enjoy telling people about the guys like Samir, Danny Padilla, Rory who all opened their knowledge up to me. It wouldn't be right for me to hoard it. And the personal stories were just plain fun times in the gym. Most of the champs I know, didn't take things so seriously.
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: dodger on August 30, 2006, 08:22:59 PM
The one guy that got Samir in the best shape of his life,100% hands down was the one and only "BARBARIAN DAVID PAUL". David trained him for the the Olympia and also trained him a few years later after that win,Samir told me way back that he couldn't even keep up with DAVID and DAvid would bear hug him all the time and put him back on a machine or whatever and yell at him and tell him to do more and more,Samir said he was crazy.Go ask DAVID about it or SAMIR and they will tell you about those grueling days.
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: arce377 on August 30, 2006, 10:21:07 PM
Thanks for being here Max Rep!
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: Max_Rep on August 30, 2006, 11:05:57 PM
The one guy that got Samir in the best shape of his life,100% hands down was the one and only "BARBARIAN DAVID PAUL". David trained him for the the Olympia and also trained him a few years later after that win,Samir told me way back that he couldn't even keep up with DAVID and DAvid would bear hug him all the time and put him back on a machine or whatever and yell at him and tell him to do more and more,Samir said he was crazy.Go ask DAVID about it or SAMIR and they will tell you about those grueling days.

I know this to be true. I was no longer training with Samir or in Venice for that matter, but every month or so I'd make the treck and David really pushed him. When Steve and I were training with Samir, it was always a challenge to get him through a workout without stopping and talking to everyone wanting a picture or to say hello or whatever. We often teased about leashing him and dragging him from set to set. No way David Paul would ever put up with that.
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: Max_Rep on August 30, 2006, 11:07:23 PM
Thanks for being here Max Rep!

Thank you!
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: Mr. Intenseone on August 30, 2006, 11:12:28 PM

Kent Kuehn

Holy crap, i used to talk to Kent all the time at Golds back in the 80's and he used to work backstage at all the local shows, it doesn't even look like him....I'm blown away right now, does he still work the local shows??
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: Max_Rep on August 30, 2006, 11:46:01 PM
Holy crap, i used to talk to Kent all the time at Golds back in the 80's and he used to work backstage at all the local shows, it doesn't even look like him....I'm blown away right now, does he still work the local shows??

Yes he still does and he's looked like this for some time now.
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: Max_Rep on September 02, 2006, 10:59:18 AM
No problem DVSGOD, glad you guys are enjoying the stories. For me those were fun times and awesome training sessions.

I spent some time with Mike Neveux (Ironman photographer) the other day and he had a great Samir story. Back when Mike was working for Weider, they set up a photo shoot for Samir (The Lion from Lebanon) with a female model and a Lion. They handlers around, the Lion was well fed, old and very docile. The female model, Mike Neveux, the handlers were all hugging the Lion and he was as gentle as a house cat.

Mike said “Samir was totally freaked out, scared out of his mind and wouldn’t go near the Lion.” They were all making fun of him and saying Samir he’s a total pussy cat but Samir wasn’t having any part of it.   
Title: Re: A closer look at Samir Bannout!
Post by: alexxx on September 02, 2006, 03:44:45 PM
No problem DVSGOD, glad you guys are enjoying the stories. For me those were fun times and awesome training sessions.

I spent some time with Mike Neveux (Ironman photographer) the other day and he had a great Samir story. Back when Mike was working for Weider, they set up a photo shoot for Samir (The Lion from Lebanon) with a female model and a Lion. They handlers around, the Lion was well fed, old and very docile. The female model, Mike Neveux, the handlers were all hugging the Lion and he was as gentle as a house cat.

Mike said “Samir was totally freaked out, scared out of his mind and wouldn’t go near the Lion.” They were all making fun of him and saying Samir he’s a total pussy cat but Samir wasn’t having any part of it.   


lol!