Melvin Anthony
January 23, 2004

Melvin Anthony is having a good time. He recently went on a trip to Peru with his wife, Ivette, and placed a respectable 9th at the 2003 Mr. Olympia. This year, he has already started to train for the 2004 Night of Champions, and is gunning to be in the best shape of his life. However, some comment's from Chris Cormier in an interview with Getbig.com about their relationship prompted a response from Melvin. Here are some questions and answers with Melvin.

Melvin Anthony, interviewed by Ron Avidan.

  • Chris Cormier made some comments towards you in an interview. Were you surprised?

      No, not really. A person of Chris Cormier's character doesn't deserve a response from me, but I wish him well. Ivette and I will be at the Arnold Classic cheering all of the athletes.

  • Why was he mad at you?

      I have not spoken to Chris in years, and I don't know why he is focused on me. Whatever he has going on, I choose not to focus on negative energy.

  • How do you feel 2004 will do for you?

      I think the judges feel that I present a complete package. I love bodybuilding, I keep improving on stage every time I get on stage. As many people that don't like me, there are many more that do. I think it will be a good year for me. It's only up from where I am. Some fans focus on how long a bodybuilder has been in the sport, rather than how they are when they are up on the stage. In terms of pro contests, I am not even doing the Arnold Classic and the other early show. I plan on competing at the Night of Champions, and possibly doing the Toronto Pro show. I plan on coming in bigger and in better condition. Along with Pano, my trainer, I retained the services of Steve Murphy, a neuromuscular massage therapist. He does deep tissue, and he also works on Jay Cutler, and he has worked with Dorian in the past. He works on your body, deep tissue, and it hurts like crazy, but it keeps the muscles applicable. When you work out, muscles can get stuck together, you can get injured. Deep tissue therapy keeps the muscles healthy, and lets me improve my physique overall. It will help me bring in a dangerous package to the NOC.

  • When are you going to start training for the NOC?

      I have already started to train. I started right after me and my wife took a trip to Lima, Peru. We hung out for Christmas in Peru, with all of my wife's family, then we flew back and I started to serious train on December 30th. I have been back to the gym now for almost three weeks. Right now, I am focusing on that show, that's all I think about. I eat, sleep, and train and I will make sure that I do the things that I need to do to make sure I come in ready for it.

  • How was Peru?

      It's great. There are two type of classes there, either you are rich or you are poor. And I think that the government may have something to do with that. There are only a handful of rich people there, and they are keeping all the money. I stuck out like a sore thumb out there. There are no bodybuilders out there, but there are actually two Gold's Gym there, and they were pretty big. I worked out there twice and they were nice. Most of the people there speak Spanish, and the one's who spoke English was very broken English. There were a few people who knew who I was out there, I took some pictures, gave out some autographs, and a couple of videos. Hey, I'm known worldwide…

  • Are you going to do anything differently this year?

      Me, I just try to improve each time. There is so much expectation on me, and my God-given genetics, so to speak, to people just try to make it harder than it should be. It is just a matter of improving. And whoever nails it on that day. And that's just the way it goes. It's bodybuilding. It's a subjective sport. You never know what the judges may be looking for on that day. I am only in control of what I can do. And my thing is to be the best that I can be on stage.

  • So if you see Chris Cormier at the Arnold, will you go up to him?

      I have no ill feelings towards the guy. If that is something that he wants to do, feel free. But was I surprised at what he said. I am always surprised at what people say. But I realize that you can't expect everybody to feel a certain way about a person. Things that are going in his life is not what I have to deal with. Why that stuff is going on is none of my business, so I keep out of it, keep my mouth shut, and head straight. I keep continuing to work on to improve my physique and be a threat in the sport. Let nobody take it. The better I get, the more people are going to attack me. And I am thankful to have the support of people around me, positive people, and who support what I do

  • You have competed in the Night of Champions before?

      I have competing in the show twice now, and I have placed 7th and 8th there. Last time I competed there was 2002, right after the injury, so this is going to give me the time to come in at the best that I can. My first encounter with that show was my first real pro show.

  • How does it feel writing for Muscular Development Magazine?

      I think it's real fun. It comes out well. My first column came out last month, the one with Ronnie Coleman on the cover. It's cool that I am able to speak my mind and through different people in different aspects of life.

  • How do you like being with Bodyonics Pinnacle?

      They have been very supportive of me. I have nothing to complain about them and I have done what they asked me to do. They wanted me to be the best that I could be, and they said they could see me in the top 10 at the Olympia, and I can in ninth. They look at me as to what type of positive energy that I can generate, and so far, I feel that I am generating some positive things for them. Thing are going well. I will be at the booth at the Arnold Classic. I also will be doing a seminar at the Ironman Pro Fit Expo on back training.

  • I see you have your own website now, Melvinanthony.com?

      Yes, it's coming along. The guy that does it is pretty cool, it's not fancy like others, but I get a chance to touch lives. That's what bodybuilding is all about. Everything that comes around goes around. You have been around the sport a long time to realize that new bodybuilders come in, other bodybuilders go out, and that's the way it is.

  • How did it feel winning the posing award at the 2003 Olympia?

      It felt great. I felt that is was good, and I deserved it. I didn't expect it so soon. They told me right after the posing round ended, I was caught off guard. It was nice. I came in with something different that the usual. Everybody tried hard to win it, but I wanted to come in with something totally left field. People weren't expecting it. I wanted to make my posing routine like a movie. Hey, nine grand was nice and it inspired me to make sure my posing routine was the best.

  • So how can bodybuilders become born again Christians?

      Anybody can be a Christian. Once you make a declaration to Christ, it's all about being a changed person. Some people who don't want to be Christians, it is their choice. There are 10 commandments that the bible asks you to do, it's all about obedience. Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, though shall not give false witness, thou shalt not covet thy neighbors wife, some of those things people know that they do, but they just don't want to not do it, that is their choice. It's a good thing. It keeps you out of trouble.

  • So how do you make people understand that you have changed?

      Well, people will only view you based on your last encounter. So the last time Chris spoke to me, I am sure that I was a different person that the one you are talking to now. I was out there doing whatever. I was lost. Now that I have found my Christianity, and I am doing my things, I am on a whole new level. I got married to a wonderful person, I am in a four bedroom home, I am paying the bills, I am getting the job done, I am being a man, I am being a true citizen, and that's what you should be doing. Not going out there to find out what girl you can lay. Everything comes with the package. But a lot of people don't want to have that one on one relationship in their lives. I am more mature now, I am not 20 anymore. When you are younger, that's a different story. You kind of grow out of it. I have grown past those things.

  • So can you blame the younger bodybuilders for being what they are?

      I don't blame anybody. I don't judge anyone. It's the choices that you make, but eventually, there comes a point and time in your life, you have to sit down and do a breakdown, and say: This is what I want to do for the rest of my life. Where are you going to be in five years? You need to have a five year plan. What am I going to do next? You are not going to be young all your life. You need to try to find a place in your life where you can excel. What are these young bodybuilders going to do when it is all over? And I am just learning from the people that are around me. When you are a family, you have a unit. And lot of people can get envious over that.