part 2

In the seven years since retiring and ceasing all use of steroids, I have attempted to detox my body through refining my eating habits, supplementation and exercise form. My success with this has given me a whole new appreciation for the true practice of bodybuilding. This lead me to want to try a natural eight-week countdown to see how my physique would respond to this at sixty. It’s a full circle back to my early days before steroids, relying only on food. You may be thinking, “But you’re sixty now.” Yes, but I’ve taken care of myself and feel very youthful and full of life. And today I have forty years of knowledge and muscle development under my belt.

Stay tuned for details on what my seven year refinement entailed.

© ROBBY ROBINSON
▶ www.robbyrobinson.net

8-WEEK COUNTDOWN Part 1-

For over forty-five years, the game of bodybuilding has been a welcome challenge for my mindset. My countdown program before a competition has morphed over the years. Before coming to California in 1975 and preparing for the IFBB Mr. World with Arnold and Denny Gable, I had never heard of contest preparation nor had I been introduced to steroids. I had always stayed in shape by eating well and training hard; there was no such thing as "off-season" in my dialogue. Early on I realized this was my edge over my competitors. The less stress placed on the body getting it into shape, the sharper, more refined that physique will be when displayed on stage. That’s the winning edge. I saw others letting themselves go after shows. Some dropped training entirely to recover from the heavy weights that they were able to use while on anabolics but their natural body wouldn't have been able to handle. Others ate completely off the bodybuilder’s menu. My no off-season approach worked so well I didn’t need a preparation scheme other than a sodium, distilled water and potassium manipulation the week of a show. Only twice did I follow a calculated plan; once with Chris Cormier in 1990 and nine years later with Trevor Smith.

© ROBBY ROBINSON
▶ www.robbyrobinson.net