Author Topic: A closer look at Samir Bannout! (Read 10915 times)

fathead · « **Reply #25 on:** August 30, 2006, 02:04:37 AM »

Quote from: Max_Rep on August 29, 2006, 07:30:51 PM

Kent or Samir?

the arab

Scimowser · « **Reply #26 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

gibberj2 · « **Reply #27 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.

alexxx · « **Reply #28 on:** August 30, 2006, 07:58:50 AM »

Quote from: Max_Rep on August 29, 2006, 11:27:00 PM

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?

alexxx · « **Reply #29 on:** August 30, 2006, 07:59:49 AM »

Quote from: 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

Damn thanks I forgot about that.

buffbodz · « **Reply #30 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.

Max_Rep · « **Reply #31 on:** August 30, 2006, 10:11:14 AM »

Quote from: alexxx on August 30, 2006, 07:58:50 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.

alexxx · « **Reply #32 on:** August 30, 2006, 10:24:59 AM »

Quote from: Max_Rep on August 30, 2006, 10:11:14 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.

Max_Rep · « **Reply #33 on:** August 30, 2006, 02:03:35 PM »

Quote from: alexxx on August 30, 2006, 10:24:59 AM

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.

alexxx · « **Reply #34 on:** August 30, 2006, 02:07:35 PM »

Quote from: Max_Rep on August 30, 2006, 02:03:35 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.

Max_Rep · « **Reply #35 on:** August 30, 2006, 02:41:10 PM »

Yes about 6 languages, like many Arabs and Europeans.

Max_Rep · « **Reply #36 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.

sammy1980 · « **Reply #37 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.

Max_Rep · « **Reply #38 on:** August 30, 2006, 04:03:37 PM »

Quote from: 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.

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.

dodger · « **Reply #39 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.

arce377 · « **Reply #40 on:** August 30, 2006, 10:21:07 PM »

Thanks for being here Max Rep!

Max_Rep · « **Reply #41 on:** August 30, 2006, 11:05:57 PM »

Quote from: 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.

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.

Max_Rep · « **Reply #42 on:** August 30, 2006, 11:07:23 PM »

Quote from: arce377 on August 30, 2006, 10:21:07 PM

Thanks for being here Max Rep!

Thank you!

Mr. Intenseone · « **Reply #43 on:** August 30, 2006, 11:12:28 PM »

Quote from: ARMZ on August 29, 2006, 05:18:12 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??

Max_Rep · « **Reply #44 on:** August 30, 2006, 11:46:01 PM »

Quote from: Mr. Intenseone on August 30, 2006, 11:12:28 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.

Max_Rep · « **Reply #45 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.

alexxx · « **Reply #46 on:** September 02, 2006, 03:44:45 PM »

Quote from: 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.

lol!