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Rick Collins has been in the bodybuilding industry for a long time, defending and advising many bodybuilders, supplement companies and various people on many subjects, including one of his specialties, performance enhancing substances. But on August 23rd, Rick is going to jump out of a plane for the first time, in the hopes of raising $13,500 for the American Cancer Society. Here is some information on it, and you can donate for this jump directly to the American Cancer Society by going to Leap for Life (www.leapforlife.org). Rick Collins — a Long Island-based attorney, popular author and the nation’s foremost legal authority on performance-enhancing substances —  has announced that he is “leaping” into new territory this summer.   In honor of two close friends and a relative stricken with cancer, Collins has created Leap for Life (www.leapforlife.org) – and will be jumping from a plane for the very first time in his life in order to help raise funds for the American Cancer Society … while also making a statement about exercising personal liberties as he flies through the air in his first-ever skydiving venture. In preparation for this unprecedented Leap for Life, Collins is seeking sponsors to help raise money…

Congratulations to Stan McQuay for winning the 2009 IFBB Jacksonville Men’s 202lbs and under, and his first pro contest, coming into the show as an underdog and surprising everyone. Here are the results 1- Stan McQuay 2- Daryl Gee 3- Tricky Jackson 4- Charles Dixon 5- Steve Namat 6- Peter Putman 7- Mike Valentino 8- Jeffrey Long 9- Jocelyn Jean 9- Patrick Richardson 11- Anthony Finocchiaro 12- Nathaniel Wonsley 13- Roland Huff Also, Congratulations to Jessica Putman for winning the 2009 IFBB Jacksonville Pro Figure competition. Here are the results 1- Jessica Putman 2- Erin Stern 3- Jenny Lynn 4- Krissy Chin 5- Siobhan Tewari 6- Tinamarie Bloomfield 7- Alicia Harris 8- Marcy Porter 9- Tivisay Briceno 10- Petra Mertl 11- Sue Upson 12- DJ Wallis 13- Amanda Marinelli 14- Melody Clere 15- Alana Hernandez 15- Karen Mullarkey 17- Amy Stephens 18- Tesse Wood-Thomes 19- Jacqui Jarrett 19- Starling Steele 19- Sandra Simons 19- Sabrina Taylor-Gibson 19- Michelle Theison For the scorecards, please click below 2009 IFBB Jacksonville Pro Men’s Scorecard Results 2009 IFBB Jacksonville Pro Figure Scorecard Results

Lots of pictures were taken from the 2009 NPC USAs in Vegas, and Isaac Hinds, Mark Mason and Ron Avidan were at the venue to cover the contests. All of the pictures are up on Bodybuilding.com, but here is a link where you can check out the pics by category. 2009 NPC USA Pictures

467 competitors competed in Las Vegas at the 2009 NPC USA’s, and 17 of them turned pro.  But for men’s bodybuilding, only the top three overall become pros out of 7 classes, which makes it tough to see someone as deserving as Tamer El-Guindy win his class, but lose out one of the overall cards to another.  In the Heavyweight class, Mark Alvisi was the favorite, and did not disappoint, beating out an incredible Lee Banks who some people said that he should of won the class. Fred Smalls, Vladamir Sizov and Zinjun Croon took the other placings, and Mark Alvisi went on to get the overall too. In the Middleweight class, there was no stopping Daryl Gee. From when I saw him at the NPC Los Angeles contest a week prior, the man’s physique was incredible. Just incredible. This guy, who didnt compete for 3 1/2 years, just came out of nowhere to dominate, and with that, received the second pro card. No one in this class came near to one of the most incredible Middleweights we have seen in a long time. In the Super Heavyweights, Grigori Atoyan won his class, and also took the third overall pro…

Isaac Hinds has put out a very good preview on how may come home or do well with a pro card this weekend at the NPC USAs.  With so many competitors, and us guessing has to who will be competing, it makes the task even more eventful. Here is Isaac’s review on some of the ones to watch. Isaac Hinds’s NPC USA Review Not to be outdone, Lonnie Teper has put out a video on who he and Alex Azarian thinks will be competing and doing well at the NPC USA’s. The video was done about a month ago, but it still shows LT’s whimsical and poignant thoughts in front of the closed Gold’s Gym Northridge. Incidently, LT will be the emcee of the 2009 NPC USA’s again, as only LT can go through 470+ names, and not make a mistake on pronouncing each one.Here is the link to the video. Lonnie Teper & Alex Azarian’s Preview

With over 470 competitors, the 2009 NPC USA’s in Vegas is going to be the biggest ever, and we will be there covering the action.  This is the premier NPC event of the west, with over 15 pro cards given out to the best!

One of the highlights of the NPC Los Angeles show is when many of the potential NPC USA competitors that are out in Los Angeles get on stage for a preview for the NPC USA, which is one week after the contest. This year, there are a number of potential top 5 competitors that were on stage, including Tamer El-Guindy, Jermoe Ferguson and Pete Ciccone. Here are some pictures, with a slew more in the Getbig Picture section, which links to Bodybuilding.com.

Middleweight Daryl Gee won the overall men’s bodybuilding at the 2009 NPC Los Angeles contest, and is on his way to the NPC USA to challenge some of the top Middleweights competitor, and perhpas even get his pro card. Here is Daryl Gee, moments after he won the overall on saturday, July 18th, in Culver City, California.

Sunday, July 19, 2009 To: All Bodybuilding Press From: Jim Manion, NPC National Office Subject: Benjamin Loehrer Due to age ineligibility Benjamin Loehrer has been declared ineligible as the 2009 NPC Teenage National Light-Heavyweight & Overall winner. Overall runner-up Uriah McGee will be awarded the Overall title & also the trip to Los Angeles for the Flex Magazine featured article & photo shoot. Also, all competitors in the Light-Heavyweight class will now move up a placing. Jim Manion NPC President

The 2009 NPC Los Angeles contest was a record breaking one, in which over 180+ competitors competed for top honors. Here are the overall winners of the evening. (Overall winners with Jon Lindsay) For more pics on the contest, click below Contest Pictures

The 2009 NPC Los Angeles is coming up this weekend on Saturday, July 18th. Promoter Jon Lindsay is going to have over 170 competitors (not counting crossovers), including close to 30 NPC Bikini competitors. We wll be taking pictures for bodybuilding.com, getbig.com and hardbody.com. The NPC Los Angeles is one exciting show, as we get to check out which competitors are vying to be in their best shape in preparing for the NPC USA one week later (in Vegas). So come out to Culver City and support the show, and check out some of the best competitors in Los Angeles. So who is my pick for the NPC Los Angeles to win in men’s bodybuilding. None other than Reggie the Machine, or Reginald Brantley, who barely lost the Super Heavyweight title at the NPC Orange County to the person I picked to win that show (Ronald Sargeant). Here is Reginald at the NPC Orange County, looking great, but will be in even better shape come the NPC Los Angeles.

Retired IFBB Hall of Fame Bodybuilder Shawn Ray has joined GENr8, Inc., the exclusive marketers of Vitargo® S2. Shawn will be a Chief Consultant and Strategist to GENr8 in the areas of marketing and promotions related to bodybuilding and its athletes, both professional and amateur, creating opportunities for charity events, as well as muscle camps, pro bodybuilding competition, and sponsorship opportunities. Shawn retired from competitive bodybuilding in 2001 after a successful 13-year career. He enjoyed 12 consecutive years as a top 5 finalist in the Mr. Olympia contest while achieving 1st runner up in both 1994 and 1996. Shawn is a writer and radio host of MD Radio with Muscular Development Magazine and has over 22 years experience in the sport ranging from competitor, contest promoter, master of ceremonies, journalist, and event organizer. “My time on the contest stage and behind the scene in the sport of Bodybuilding has prepared me for an opportunity such as this, where I can continue to help others grow while sharing the superior benefits of a patented, scientifically proven product like Vitargo S2“, stated Mr. Ray. Shawn will be working directly with GENr8 President and CEO, Anthony L. Almada, B.Sc., M.Sc. a graduate of…

Last Tuesday, it was reported that Eridania Rodriquez was missing. She went to work in a building near the World Trade Center, where she cleaned offices, and never came out. No one knew what happened, until they found blood leaking from a ventilation shaft this past weekend. She was found bound and gagged, hand tied behind her back, feet and mouth taped, and on the 12th floor, whereas her cleaning cart was on the 8th floor. The autopsy confirmed that she died of asphyxiation by tape to her head and face. Eridania leaves behind three children. She was the oldest of 10 siblings. Condolences to the Martinez’ family and her friends.  This is truly shocking, and we hope that they find whoever did this, and treat them the same.  Will this affect Victor Martinez and his training in becoming the #1 bodybuilder in the world at the 2009 Mr. Olympia. How can it not? But Victor should press on ahead and dedicated his performance to his sister, for we cannot let evil stop us from what we do. Victor Martinez, speaking on ABC News said “We loved our sister very much. Mother, grandmother. It is a horrible loss right now. I just…

Due to the overwhelming turnout of competitors at the 2009 NPC USA,  we have moved the Figure prejudging from Friday to Saturday morning, and the Bikini prejudging has been moved from Saturday morning to Friday evening with the men.  All prejudging tickets purchased prior to July 10th will be honored in accordance with the new schedule. Currently, we have 460+ competitors entered in what is the biggest and best NPC USA contest ever!  

There is no question that this years NPC USA’s on July 24-25 in Las Vegas is going to be the biggest ever. With over 430 competitors as of July 7th, get ready for an incredible contest. This year, the bikini division has been added and each class winner here will become an IFBB pro. (Total of 6).  There will be a total of 17 IFBB pro given on the line at the NPC USAs.  Besides bikini with 6 new pros, figure will see 6 new ones as well. Also added this year for the men’s bodybuilding competition is that three competitors will turn pro instead of 2. So when we see that final posedown out of the seven class winners, we will get the overall winner, plus two others for the pro cards. For the women’s bodybuilding contest, 2 women will turn pro out of the four classes. Promoter Jon Lindsay always does a great job in organizing and making sure that the contest is one of the best NPC events of the year. The venue is the same as it has been for the last number of years, located at the Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall on the campus…

On September 25-26, 2009, Joe Weider’s Mr. Olympia Weekend returns to the Orleans Arena and the Las Vegas Convention Center in sizzling Las Vegas, Nevada for what promises to be the most exciting event in the contest’s 44-year history. The title will be battled out by current Olympia Champion Dexter Jackson, 2-Time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler, Phil Heath, Dennis Wolf and many more strong and talented professionals looking to be crowned the 2009 Mr. Olympia Champion. With the Olympia fast approaching we have created a way for you to be part of the Olympia Team. If you would like to take part in the design process of the merchandise that will be sold at the Olympia, please log on to www.MrOlympia.com and click on the t-shirt design contest. You will have access to uploading up to six (6) exclusive designs for a chance to win tickets to the 2009 Olympia. Be there for all the fireworks as the most talented athletes in the world battle it out to determine who truly is the best in men’s and women’s bodybuilding, fitness and figure.

The 2009 NPC Junior Cal, held on June 20th, was a fun contest, with over 80 competitor coming to Rosemead, California.  Promoted by Lonnie Teper, it showcased some of the up and comers in this non-qualifying contest.  Here are the overall winners, including Dan Kramer, Sunny Daye, Daniel Seibert, Elena Andrade and Anthony Pomponio. You can see more pictures from the contest by going to the Pictures Galleries section of Getbig.com, which are linked to Bodybuilding.com at Getbig Picture Galleries

This upcoming weekend, on Saturday, on July 4th, Muscle Beach will be celebrating its 75th anniversay, and a number of us will be down there to check out the festivities, take pictures and have some fun. Here is the poster regarding this event.

July 4th, Independence Day here in the USA, is also when Muscle Beach Venice will be celebrating its 75th anniversary. One person that they will be inducting into the Muscle Beach Hall of Fame is Relna Brewer McRae, who helped her brother Paul, start and build 75 years ago what became known as Muscle Beach. NBC did an interview with Relna, which was very informative. You can check it out at the link below. NBC Newest Hall of Famer