Q. How has bodybuilding changed you as a person?

The most important thing bodybuilding has done for me is given me self-confidence. I was a very insecure kid and teenager and never felt like I belonged or I was ‘good enough,’ whatever that meant. Over the years I have become a much more outgoing person, my outlook on life in general is more positive, and of course the physical benefits of nearly twenty years of regular training are substantial. I was the prototypical 98-pound weakling, the kid who was at the top of the class in academics but was invisible to the girls. That has all changed. I have been married to my wife Janet for over twelve years now, and I have to thank bodybuilding for her. I met her while I was working in a gym she was a member of back in 1989!

Q. You have many years experience in the production side of major bodybuilding events such as the Olympia and the Arnold Classic. What can you tell us about these events we normally don't see in the magazines?

I can tell you more about the production of the Musclemania and Fitness America Pageants, since I was directly involved in those. It’s staggering to realize just how much planning has to go into any major event like these. From securing the venue to hiring all the staff, to advertising, dealing with the athletes, it’s a lot of work. A fan buys his or her ticket and sees only the finished product, but often a full year of planning and thousands of hours of phone calls and meetings go into it.

Q. What are some of the best and some of the worst things about bodybuilding?

I would say the best thing about bodybuilding is that it gives a person the power to mold their body into something better, bigger, stronger, and leaner. The worst thing is that genetics have so much to do with what you will look like as a result of all the training and eating. Drugs are talked about as being the reason why the champs look the way they do, but without the right genetics all the drugs and training in the world won’t make you look like an IFBB pro. Any sport is dominated by men or women with certain genetic gifts. How many guys could ever play in the NBA, despite the best coaching and years of practice? The myth sold to a lot of kids in the magazines and supplement ads is that anyone can look like Ronnie Coleman or Jay Cutler if they just want it bad enough. That’s just not true. Bodybuilding is the only sport I know where a majority of the fans are trying to be stars in the sport themselves. The average guy watching baseball or football on TV isn’t obsessed with trying to join the players in the major leagues or the NFL. But as long as we all understand that anyone can improve and continue to strive to be the best they can be, it’s all good.

Q. What are some of the most common mistakes athletes are making when it comes to training & nutrition?

With regards to training, I see bad form all the time. We are supposed to feel the muscles working as bodybuilders, not just throw heavy weights around any which way. Guys pile on too much weight and use a short range of motion, like those 1,500-pound leg presses that only move an inch for each rep, or they use so much weight on the bench press that a spotter has to help them from the very first rep. You have to swallow your pride and use a weight you can control and feel or else you are wasting your time. I also see guys doing way too many exercises and sets. I don’t think it should ever take more than 90 minutes to train even a large bodypart like legs, but I see guys taking that long just to do arms. The biggest error in nutrition is almost always not eating enough. If you go more than three hours between meals, you run a high risk of slipping from an anabolic to a catabolic state, and muscle gains will not be possible. I personally try to never go much longer than two hours after a solid meal without eating, and one hour after a shake or a bar. I even have a protein shake in the middle of the night to keep a steady trickle of nutrients coming in. You have to eat a lot of high-quality protein and limit the junk food so your body has the right fuel to build muscle on.

Q. What is your opinion on "functional training" methods (plyometrics, medicine balls, swiss balls etc)? Do they have their place in a bodybuilding program?

I don’t care for these methods one bit, and I believe they are really just a gimmick for personal trainers to keep their clients entertained and interested with something new. I know plyometrics have value for many athletes, but I don’t feel bodybuilders need to do them. And as far as doing your exercises like dumbbell presses on a Swiss ball, I just have to laugh.

Q. What sort of injuries have you had and how did you deal with them?

I have hurt my lower back many times and always got chiropractic treatment and deep tissue massage. I have hurt both shoulders on numerous occasions, I have tendonitis in my left inner elbow, and I have torn both hamstrings and a calf. My solution was always to train around the injuries and do what I could for the time being. No injury every kept me out of the gym completely, there was always something I could do. An injury only defeats you if you let it.

Q. How do you stay motivated?

I love to train, I love the feeling of lifting heavy weights and getting a pump. I love the challenge of making improvements to my physique even though that gets tougher every year. There are times when I am not as excited about training as usual, but most of the time I am anticipating my next workout and thinking about what I will do. Magazines and videos also help a great deal, plus I am always on the lookout for some new training or nutritional technique. The fact that I have my website now and reach thousands of bodybuilders all over the world also keeps me on my toes. I have a training journal called The Daily Pump where I discuss what I have done in the gym that day, and knowing that it’s all going out for everyone to see makes me a little less likely to slack.

Q. What supplements would you recommend to an athlete to improve muscle size and performance?

I stick with the basics: creatine monohydrate, protein powders, a post-workout shake with whey protein and simple sugars, ECA stacks, and protein bars. I don’t get into the prohormones or myostatin blockers or anything like that. I think too many bodybuilders put too much emphasis on supplements and don’t realize that their training and eating is going to determine 95% of their success.

Check out Ron’s web site at www.ronharrismuscle.com

Mark-Anthony Bailey