IRON GAME LEGENDS - ROBBY ROBINSON TALKS OLD SCHOOL TRAINING

ROBBY IS A TRUE HERO THE SPORT NEEDS

AND WORLD CLASS REPRESENTATION OF

WHAT BODYBUILDING IS ABOUT

ROBBY ROBINSON - FRONT DOUBLE BICEPS VACUUM - ON STAGE POSING 70s
Read about RR's training and life experience, about other legends of Golden Era
of bodybuilding and what really happened behind the scenes of Weider's empire
- in RR's BOOK "The BLACK PRINCE; My Life in Bodybuilding: Muscle vs. Hustle" -
▶ www.robbyrobinson.net/books.php

Recently I had the privilege to speak with one of the most accomplished and admired bodybuilders of all time “Mr Lifestyle” Robby Robinson. 

Not only did he compete at the absolute highest level of bodybuilding from 1975 up until 2000 where he won over 20 titles including Mr. America, Mr. Universe, and   Mr. Olympia, but also he is still active in the game today inspiring and helping trainees worldwide. 

Robby is a true hero the sport needs, and world class representation of what bodybuilding is about. Here is what Robby had to say on the most important factors of training (Along with proper nutrition). - BRAD KELLY

The Interview 

—————————————–

What is your favorite time of day to train?

Early morning, between 4 and 5 am. It gets your heart rate up and really prepares you for the day.

Have you always liked early training? And did you ever get into twice per day training?

Yes, I have always enjoyed early training it just really gets you going for the rest of your day. I train one time per day, because my whole theory is 90% of bodybuilding is nutrition timing. The right nutrition with the right nutrients at the right time, making sure you take in a lot of water. 

DOING THE SAME THING RELIGIOUSLY

24/7 365 DAYS PER YEAR,

BODYBUILDING IS ALL ABOUT REPETITION

ROBBY ROBINSON - PHOTO BY JERRY FREDRICK FOR IRON MAN MAG
BUILT- Instructional Double DVD - Robby's philosophy on bodybuilding,
training and healthy lifestyle, and his old-school workout approach
▶ www.robbyrobinson.net/dvd_built.php

What is your favorite training split?

3 days on, 1 off, sometimes 4 on 1 off depending on recovery.  

But for years, I had no direction; I did the full body workout 10 sets of 10 every body part.  I just loved to train so that is what I would do, every afternoon and come home around 6 to get in my meals.  

I worked at the Tallahassee Democrat. I would get up at 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning and get to work at 5AM, work from 5 to around 3 in the afternoon and go home or straight to the gym. 

I WORKED THE WHOLE BODY
EVERY SINGLE DAY

But I loved it, I didn’t think in terms I was doing anything wrong or overtraining. 

THAT WAS MY WHOLE THING, 

I JUST LOVED TO TRAIN 

AND WANTED TO EXCEL 

AND BE THE BEST

I would travel throughout the south competing and winning competitions all throughout the area.

So just a slightly higher rep range?

Yes, but not so high that you get to a point you just do not want to do it mentally and physically. Just high enough I can get a great pump and still achieve my goal.

That is how Chuck Sipes used to train to a degree, mixing in heavy and light training.   

Yep, I do not think you should train heavy all the time. However, I have worked out with people who do heavy heavy heavy heavy, but somewhere in there, something breaks down. Or you just get to tired and the muscle does not respond as well, so I always rotate light and heavy for variety. 

Variety is key, not so much variety you get away from your goals, but enough the body can enjoy. One time I might do barbell curls then then the next time I might do   Scott Curls 4 or 5 sets with Zottman Curls or Reverse Curls, or then again I may just do Barbell Curls 7 sets of 7.

But when training arms I do always train the tricep first, because it is the biggest muscle on the arm, with say; close grip press, lying tricep presses (extensions), rope extensions with arms on the  bench  and then next time around close grip press with maybe standing dumbbell or rope presses. I keep the basics, but always try to alternate them with various angles and such.

ROBBY ROBINSON ON MUSCLE BEACH, LOS ANGELES, CA 70s
Robby's dietary anabolic SUPPLEMENTS, OILS and HERBS
for natural fat loss and muscle growth at any age
▶  www.robbyrobinson.net/anabolic-pack.php

THE POWER OF GLUTAMINE MAKES A BODY BIG!

POWERFUL NUTRIENTS – GLUTAMINE

I AM A BIG, BIG BELIEVER IN GLUTAMINE SUPPLEMENTATION. I THINK, ALL BODYBUILDERS SHOULD BE USING A FREE-FORM L-GLUTAMINE SUPPLEMENT EVERY DAY.

MY PHYSIQUE IS GLUTAMINE-BUILT

-- 20/30 GRMS 45-MIN BEFORE YOUR HVY BACK, CHEST AND LEG DAYS --

IT'S A MUST!

ROBBY ROBINSON AT 67 - SIDE CHEST - TRAINING &
POSING WORKOUT AT GOLDS GYM VENICE, CA 2013
Robby's dietary anabolic SUPPLEMENTS, OILS and HERBS 
for natural fat loss and muscle growth at any age
●  www.robbyrobinson.net/anabolic-pack.php ●

I TAKE IT BEFORE AND AFTERWARDS TRAINING.

WHY?

BECAUSE IT HELPS TO RESTORE THE GLUTATHIONE LEVELS IN THE BODY AND LIVER, HELPING IT TO REGENERATE, COOL OFF! AND RECYCLE THE OTHER ANTIOXIDANTS PUTTING THE BODY BACK INTO THE BUSINESS OF BUILDING MUSCLE.

MY OWN ESTIMATE -

THIS IS ONE REASON I NEVER GET COLDS OR FLU. 
IT'S BEEN YEARS.

40 GRMS TWICE A DAY IS MY INTAKE.

YOU CAN REPLENISH ALL THE VITAL NET WORKS OF THE BODY SYSTEMS. 

15 GRMS OF GLUTAMINE - MORE LIKE A CHILD DOASGE, BUT MEGA DOSAGES TAKEN FOR A LONG PEROID WILL TRIGGER LOSE WATERY STOOL..

1 KILO GLUTAMINE
IS A PART OF RR-7-PACK
 www.robbyrobinson.net/anabolic-pack.php

IF YOU ARE 

• EATING BAD, 
• NOT DRINKING ENOUGH WATER, 
• DRINKING ALCOHOL, 
• EATING SUGAR OR 
• NOT GETTING ENOUGH REST 

-- THEN YOUR GLUTAMINE LEVELS MUST BE VERY LOW.

THIS IS WHY SO MANY GET SICK AND ARE SLOW TO RECOVER.

TO BUILD AND RETAIN MUSCLE TISSUE THE AMOUNTS OF 3 T0 5 SCOOPS TWICE A DAY ON EMPTY STOMACH. JUICE OR WATER GETS THE JOB DONE.

TAKING 5-TSP OR MORE A DAY OF GLUTAMINE DECREASES PROTEIN NEEDS SLIGHTLY, AS GLUTAMINE HELPS THE BODY USE PROTEIN MORE EFFECTIVELY.

GLUTAMINE DETOXIFIES YOUR BODY

ROBBY ROBINSON - SIDE CHEST 
PHOTO SHOOT ON MUSCLE BEACH, LA '70s
Robby's CONSULTATION Services to answer
your questions about bodybuilding,
old school training and healthy lifestyle -
▶ www.robbyrobinson.net/consultation.php

HOW TO USE GLUTAMINE

• CONTROLLING
  APPETITE .................... 1 - 3 tsp.
• BALANCING
  BLOOD SUGAR .............. 1 - 3 tsp.
• SUPPORTING
  MUSCLE GROWTH .......... 3 - 5 tsp.
• TREATING COLDS
  AND FLUS .................... 3 - 10 tsp.
• HEALING LEAKY GUT /
  FOOD ALLERGIES........... 3 - 10 tsp
• WOUND
  HEALING ..................... 3 - 10 tsp.
• HIV-INFECTION
  TREATMENT ................. 3 - 10 tsp.
• CANCER /
  CHEMOTHERAPHY ......... 3 - 14 tsp.

GLUTAMINE POWDER

-- CAN BE TAKEN IN WATER, JUICE, OR MIXED INTO HEALTHY SHAKES.

CO-FACTOR NUTRIENT: VITAMIN B-6

-- 50 MG PER DAY, -- HELPS THE BODY USE GLUTAMINE MORE EFFECTIVELY.

I NEVER GET SICK, COLDS OR FLU, MUST BE 25 TO 30 YRS SINCE OR GETTING ANY KIND OF SICKNESS.

I TAKE 40 GRMS GLUTAMINE A DAY IF NOT MORE -- MY WORKOUTS ARE TAKEN INTO A BEAST MODE, MY MUSCLE SIZE AND QUALITY KEEPS GOING UP AT 67 -- 

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU COULD DO FOR A WEIGHT TRAINING ATHLETE / MUSCLE AND DIGESTIVE SYSTEMS.

STICK WITH THE BASIC MOVEMENTS IF YOU SERIOUSLY WANT TO GROW

GAIN QUALITY MUSCLE THE RIGHT WAY!

ROBBY ROBINSON - BICEPS PEAKS AT 67
DURING TRAINING IN GOLD'S GYM VENICE, CA 2013
BUILT- Instructional Double DVD - Robby's philosophy on bodybuilding,
training and healthy lifestyle, and his old-school workout approach
▶ www.robbyrobinson.net/dvd_built.php

IF YOU WANT TO BUILD SOLID MUSCLES,

HERE IS HOW YOU DO IT:

YOU MUST WORK THE BIG MUSCLES GROUPS, SINCE MUSCLES LIKE THE THIGHS AND HIPS AND BACK ARE THE MOST POWERFUL MUSCLES ON THE BODY.

IT IS EASY FOR ME TO PUT ON 5 TO 6 LBS OF SOLID BODY WEIGHT IN SIX WEEKS BY PERFORMING: 

• SQUATS, 
• DEADLIFTS, 
• CLEAN AND PRESS 

-- A COUPLE TIMES A WEEK. 

ROBBY ROBINSON AND BLAKE GINSBURG - SMITH MACHINE SQUATS
DURING MASTER CLASS WITH RR IN GOLD'S GYM VENICE, CA 2013
Robby's CONSULTATION Services to answer your questions about bodybuilding,
old school training and healthy lifestyle - ▶ www.robbyrobinson.net/consultation.php

ONE WORKOUT I DO 15,12,10, 8 REPS, PAUSING REPS AT THE TOP AND BOTTOM FOR 2 SECONDS. 

IN MY SECOND WORKOUT OF THE WEEK, I DO 3 X 7 REPS IN A TRI-SET CONSISTING OF THESE BASIC-EXERCISES: 

• CLOSE GRIP TRICEP PRESS, 
• HEAVY BARBELL CURLS, 
• INCLINE BENCH PRESS, 
• PRESS BEHIND THE NECK.

ONE MONTH AFTER PERFORMING

THESE BASIC EXERCISES

I AM FULLER, THICKER AND MORE MUSCULAR

ROBBY ROBINSON AND BLAKE GINSBURG - STANDING BARBELL BICEP CURLS
DURING MASTER CLASS WITH RR IN GOLD'S GYM VENICE, CA 2013
Robby's dietary anabolic SUPPLEMENTS, OILS and HERBS for natural fat loss
and muscle growth at any age ▶  www.robbyrobinson.net/anabolic-pack.php

STICK WITH THE BASIC MOVEMENTS

IF YOU SERIOUSLY WANT TO GROW

FROM PRINCE TO KING – KINGS OF IRON REALITY SHOW, ROBBY ROBINSON CLASSIC AND TOURS ALL OVER THE WORLD – ROBBY’S INTERVIEW IN NATURAL MAG INTERNATIONAL

I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT MY LIFE AND ALL THE BLESSING THAT CONTINUE TO COME MY WAY. IT TAKES TIME TO DEVELOP A SUCCESS, CONSCIOUSNESS “DEVELOP A BURNING DESIRE” THROUGH DETERMINATION, SUSTAINED EFFORT; AND CONROLLED ATTENTION. 

ROBBY ROBINSON - BARBELL BICEPS CURLS WITH ARMS BLASTER - 70S GOLD'S GYM
BUILT- Instructional Double DVD - Robby's philosophy on bodybuilding, training and healthy lifestyle,
and his old-school workout approach ▶ www.robbyrobinson.net/dvd_built.php

I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR MY OWN OUTCOMES

I THINK, PEOPLE USE AGE AS A CRUTCH OR A REASON TO BE LAZY... IN MY WORLD, AGE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ABILITY.

WHO WANTS TO RETIRE?

BY: Robby, for how many years have you been off of steroids?

RR: I have not used any steroids since 2001

ROBBY ROBINSON - FROM PRINCE TO KING
ARTICLE IN NATURAL BODYBUILDING MAGAZINE, AUGUST 2013
Robby's dietary anabolic SUPPLEMENTS, OILS and HERBS for natural fat loss
and muscle growth at any age ▶  www.robbyrobinson.net/anabolic-pack.php

BY: You mentioned that most of your competitors used diuretics the last couple of days before a show, but you used posing. You wrote, “I was convince that sessions of flexing did a better job because a diuretic pulls water from every part of your body, including muscles, causing them to lose size and fullness and wind up looking flat.” 

Throughout your career did you always use this technique or did you ultimately enlist the aid of the pharmaceutical-grade diuretics?

RR: As for diuretics, they drain you and make you look weak on stage. They decrease the muscle size. I’ve always used the posing technique. It drives all the water in the skin and under the skin, directly into the muscles. You are the artist. 

THE POSING IS A PAINT BRUSH

IT CREATES A FINISHED ART PIECE

ROBBY ROBINSON - FROM PRINCE TO KING
ARTICLE IN NATURAL BODYBUILDING MAGAZINE, AUGUST 2013
Robby's CONSULTATION Services to answer your questions about bodybuilding, 
old schoold training and healthy lifestyle - ▶ www.robbyrobinson.net/consultation.php

BY: Let’s talk about Kings of Iron. How did you get involved with this project?

RR: I was manning on IRON MAN Magazine booth at a show and I noticed this guy kept walking by the booth over and over again. It made me nervous because I didn’t know what his intentions were. He finally walked by again and I handed him a magazine. In return, he asked me if I was Robby Robinson and I verified I was. He looked at me and said, “you’re the King of Iron!” He gave me his card and asked me to call him on Monday. 

It turns out the man was Joe Mendoza, CEO for United Artist. I called him later that week and he told me about his idea for a reality show called Kings of Iron, that would give the world a peek into the real world of bodybuilding: the struggles, the triumphs, ups and downs, and ultimate decisions every bodybuilder has to make at one point. 

I agreed to meet with Joe and his director at the famous Firehouse restaurant here in Venice to discuss in more detail the main idea of the show. The rest is history.

BY: That’s awesome, Robby. So, as I understand, you are one of the trainers on the show? What can you tell me about the role you play?

RR: I am the only trainer for the show. Mike is only marginally involved with the project. I am the trainer that helps get all the athletes into their top ohysical condition. All the athletes won their division and placed very well under my tutoring. I am proud to have worked with them and expect them to go far in their bodybuilding careers.

BY: Congratulations! That is fantastic. The Kings of iron project focuses on naturla, drug-free athletes, correct?

RR: Yes, all the athletes and myself are natural. The INBA/PNBA tests all their competitors prior to the show. Anyone who uses is not allowed to compete.

ROBBY ROBINSON - FROM PRINCE TO KING
ARTICLE IN NATURAL BODYBUILDING MAGAZINE, AUGUST 2013
MASTER CLASS WITH ROBBY ROBINSON - instructional DVD
www.robbyrobinson.net/dvd_master_class.php

BY: Is personal training also your primary occupation?

RR: No, I have three businesses. I work with bodybuilding enthusiasts from all over the world, in my master classes. I work with people to reshape their bodies. I also work on Facebook to help educate others that are body conscious individuals. All three of my businesses are very successful. I feel blessed and lucky to be able to do something I love and enjoy.

MY GOAL IS TO HAVE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE 

COME TO ME SO I CAN WORK WITH THEM 

AND SHARE MY KNOWLEDGE OF BODYBUILDING 

WITH THE WORLD

BY: Sounds like you have a very full plate. It’s great to see that, after all you have accomplished in the sport, you are still driven to do more, and to help others. Robby, obviously, those of us that are natural bodybuilders and athletes are happy to know that you are now steroid-free, and promoting the natural way. 

You have truly transformed yourself from that dark Prince to an everlasting King. What is left for Robby Robinson to achieve?

RR: Black Prince Productions is in the process of putting together a ROBBY ROBINSON CLASSIC show, with the INBA/PNBA for late 2014. 

I just signed an agreement to work with a balancing act from September 6^th-8^th, a pair of brothers, Steve and Sam Atlas, from Seattle, Washington. I will be working with them to improve their strength, dexterity and overall physiques. They will be performing at THE NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS competitions, September 28^th. My goal is to make sure they are in the most awesome muscular shape of their lives. they will be carrying the Black Prince brand. Muscle size, shape, and lines are the ultimate goal.

Early next year, 2014, I will be touring out of the country, to New Zealand and maybe even Mexico. I will continue to train athletes who are preparing for competition in my masters classes. We are also in the process of a crossover into the Spanish speaking audience, and we are translating my Black Prince, Hustle vs. Muscle book into Spanish.

Today, I was notified by United Artist CEO, Joe Mendoza, that this coming weekend, the cast and crew of Kings of Iron will be viewing the teaser trailer for the KOI reality show at the West Coast Boot Camp Gym in Pasadena, California.

ROBBY ROBINSON - FROM PRINCE TO KING
ARTICLE IN NATURAL BODYBUILDING MAGAZINE, AUGUST 2013
Read about RR's training and life experience, about other legends of Golden Era 
of bodybuilding and what really happened behind the scenes of Weider's empire - 
in RR's BOOK "The BLACK PRINCE; My Life in Bodybuilding: Muscle vs. Hustle" 
- available now on Amazon and Kindle - ▶ www.amazon.com/dp/1453717870
YOU CAN GET YOUR OWN COPY PERSONALLY AUTOGRAPHED BY RR 
ONLY IN RR'S ONLINE SPORTS FAN STORE - ▶ www.robbyrobinson.net/books.php

I am very excited about my life and all the blessing that continue to come my way. It takes time to develop a success, consciousness “develop a burning desire” through determination, sustained effort, and controlled attention. I am responsible for my own outcomes. I think, people use age as a crutch or a reason to be lazy... in my world, age hast nothing to do with ability. Who wants to retire?

FROM PRINCE TO KING – WEIDERS EMPIRE AND STEROIDS – ROBBY’S INTERVIEW IN NATURAL MAG INTERNATIONAL

TRAINING AND DIET PROTOCOLS

FOR A NATURAL BODYBUILDER

AND ONE ON STEROIDS ARE

COMPLETELY DIFFERENT

The "Godfathers of Bodybuilding" BEN and JOE WEIDER with the Legends 
of the Golden Era of Bodybuilding ROBBY ROBINSON, ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, 
KEN WALLER, FRANCO COLUMBU and ROGER CALLARD - Read about RR's training 
and life experience, about other legends of Golden Era of bodybuilding and what really 
happened behind the scenes of Weider's empire - in RR's BOOK "The BLACK PRINCE; 
My Life in Bodybuilding: Muscle vs. Hustle" -  on Amazon and Kindle - 
▶ www.amazon.com/dp/1453717870 - YOU CAN GET YOUR OWN COPY 
PERSONALLY AUTOGRAPHED BY ROBBY ROBINSON ONLY IN RR'S 
ONLINE SPORTS FAN STORE - ▶ www.robbyrobinson.net/books.php

BY: It is amazing that you won countless titles as a 100% drug-free bodybuilder. You were beating athletes who were not only taking steroids, but also prescription-grade diuretics. 

However, your drug-free status would change when you received that fateful call from Joe Weider, who instructed you to “go see my doctor... he’ll give you the supplements you need.” What you would receive, as you wrote in your book, was a shot of the steroid Deca Durabolin.

Do you think, as Joe Weider was herding his athletes in to see “the doctor” that he had any idea the impact drugs like these would have on the sport for decades to come?

RR: I was in my own world of training and developing my physique, I had no clue what steroids were. 

I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT YOU BUILD YOUR BODY

WITH GOOD NUTRITION, HARD WORK

AND VISUALIZATION OF WHAT YOU WANTED

YOUR BODY TO LOOK LIKE

I would envision what I wanted my body to look like and I worked towards it. 

I entered all those shows. I didn’t win all of them, but the ones I didn’t place in, I won all the body parts (best arms, chest, back, abs) and most muscular. I was blessed with genetics that created a shockwave in bodybuilding.

I am sure that Joe was aware of the echo he was creating in the world of bodybuilding, when he directed us towards visiting his doctor, for the “supplements”. 

All you have to do is read the book about the 3^rd Reich in Germany, it will tell you everything your want to know about Deca. It was widely used by the German soldiers. 

I was injected with 200 mg of Deca Durabolin every two weeks with B-12, Calcium and Glutatione, intravenously. It transferred my blessed natural genetics into a marvel that still stands out today, even at the age of sixty-seven... 

MY PHYSIQUE WAS MADE FOR BODYBUILDING

ROBBY ROBINSON - FROM PRINCE TO KING
ARTICLE IN NATURAL BODYBUILDING MAGAZINE, AUGUST 2013
Robby's CONSULTATION Services to answer your questions about bodybuilding,
old schoold training and healthy lifestyle - ▶ www.robbyrobinson.net/consultation.php

BY: It really hit home for me when you talk in your book about Joe Weider and his magazines being the initial inspiration for your to become a bodybuilding. Many of us can really relate to that. It was those same sorts of images that planted the seed in us, that if we worked hard enough, we could achieve the level of health, fitness and physique that we dreamed about.

That being said, later in the book there sits one of the most powerful and hard hitting passages ever. It reads,

"... with Ben Weider controlling the competitions, the IFBB and its worldwide affiliates, and Joe’s magazine proclaiming himself the trainer of the champion. the Weiders had successfully monopolized bodybuillding. Joe sent me, one of his top athletes, to doctors who administrated steroids, just as Hitler was known to have done to his soldiers, and to athletes before the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Joe’s propaganda was convincing people around the world that they could achieve the physiques of his stars by using his supplements and following the diets and routines printed in his magazines. The part he left out was that these bodybuilding stars were on steroids, not weight-gaining supplements, and that training and diet protocols for a natural bodybuilder and one on steroids are completely different. Joe ahd his Muscle Builder magazine were misleading fans and aspiring bodybuilders, and I was part of the machine. Yet staying with the Weider empire was the only way for me to realize the dreams I had dedicated my life to... "

ROBBY ROBINSON - FROM PRINCE TO KING
ARTICLE IN NATURAL BODYBUILDING MAGAZINE, AUGUST 2013
BUILT- Double DVD - Robby's philosophy on bodybuilding, training and healthy lifestyle,
and his old-school workout approach ▶ www.robbyrobinson.net/dvd_built.php

Robby, Joe Weider, the undisputed "Godfather of Bodybuilding“ recently passed, leaving behind his legacy. How should the thinking-man’s bodybuilder remember Joe Weider?

RR: If I had not gotten the letter from Joe, you nor others in the world, would have hear about Robby Robinson. I never would have gotten far. I never would have won all those big shows. 

Yes, I did have some adversity, but it made me a stronger person, both mentally and physically. I was glad to be part of the stable of bodybuilders that Joe had assembled. I feel he earned the title “The Godfather of Bodybuilding”. 

THANK YOU, JOE

FROM PRINCE TO KING – GENETICS VS STEROIDS AND REVERSE PSYCHOLOGY – ROBBY’S INTERVIEW IN NATURAL MAG INTERNATIONAL

IF YOU DON’T HAVE THE NATURAL GENETICS, YOU CAN DO ALL THE EXERCISES IN THE WORLD AND STILL NOT HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO WIN. SOMETIMES THAT’S WHY SOME TURN TO STEROIDS, TO TRY AND MAKE UP FOR WHAT GENETICS DID NOT SUPPLY.

ROBBY ROBINSON - WEIDER BUST POSE - GOLD'S GYM VENICE
Image from BUILT- Double DVD - Robby's philosophy on bodybuilding, 
training and healthy lifestyle, and his old-school workout approach 
▶ www.robbyrobinson.net/dvd_built.php

BY: Early in your book your wrote about your father’s incredible genetics. In the 1940’s, in the South, your steroid-free father was in his prime at 6’2’’ and 225 pounds, ripped. Even by today’s standards those numbers are very impressive, especially from the natural bodybuilder’s perspective. You were confident that you had what it took to be one of the best bodybuilders ever, citing discipline, determination, ad of course great genetics as key factors.

How important do you feel genetics are, within the sport of bodybuilding?

RR: Genetics should play a very important role in the sport of bodybuilding. That’s what the judges should be looking at when competitors are on stage. If you don’t have the natural genetics, you can do all the exercise in the world and still not have what it takes to win. Sometimes that’s why some turn to steroids, to try and make up for what genetics did not supply.

ROBBY ROBINSON - FROM PRINCE TO KING
ARTICLE IN NATURAL BODYBUILDING MAGAZINE, AUGUST 2013
Read about RR's training and life experience, about other legends of Golden Era of bodybuilding 
and what really happened behind the scenes of Weider's empire - in RR's BOOK 
"The BLACK PRINCE; My Life in Bodybuilding: Muscle vs. Hustle" 
- ▶ www.robbyrobinson.net/books.php

BY: You wrote about the 1975 AAU Mr America contest, an important show for you at the time. You brought an incredible package (which seemed to be the trend with you) to that show. It would be the first time the California bodybuilding fans and judges would get to see you do battle on stage. 

You make a poignant point as you describe how, “it is amazing to see a competirot’s muscles eflate before a show just by seeing another competitor in better shape.”

RR: The use of reverse psychology proved itself to be very beneficial to me, especially backstage during a show. One instance in particular, I was at that show in Culver City, the 1975 AAU Mr America, when I walked into to the room and stated, “y’all, may as well go home.” Immediately, I witnessed every physique, deflate and go flat. 

My plan had worked, egos were flattened, and I was ready to win, but win I did not. The AAU committee gave Dale Adrian the honor. I came in fifth place overall and won the coveted AAU “Most Muscular Man in the World” title. I was very proud to win the title over the other great body builders. I was a complete unknown and was the talk of the city.

ROBBY ROBINSON - FROM PRINCE TO KING
ARTICLE IN NATURAL BODYBUILDING MAGAZINE, AUGUST 2013
THIS PHOTO OF ROBBY BY JOE VALDEZ IS AVAILABLE AS
22" x 26" (56 cm x 66 cm) AUTOGRAPHED POSTER
www.robbyrobinson.net/poster.php

BY: I too have witnessed this phenomenon backstage and on stage at shows, when “that guy” appears. On the other side of the coin, I have also seen confident competitors with lesser physiques beat competitors with better physiques, but who seemed to lack a confident flare in their presentation.

Robby, could confidence be equally, if not more important?

RR: I was thinking in terms of the fact that I knew I already had a great physique, I already knew I had a great body. It was already in my mindset that had been instilled in me since I was young. 

IT WASN'T AN ATTITUDE, 

IT WAS AN ASSURANCE WITHIN MYSELF.

I had already read about the other competitors, I already knew what their capabilities were. I had studied them and knew what they were not doing, and what I was doing. 

IT CAME DOWN TO THAT ONE LAST REP, THE DIET, 

THE DISCIPLINE, AND MY FOCUSED MINDSET.