Articles

This article appeared in the Spring 2003 Issue of Frank Zane's Newsletter "Building the Body"

Vanishing Waistline Syndrome
By Tom Pia

The other day a physician diagnosed me with an ailment unknown in today's bodybuilding world. The malady he referred to is now known as Vanishing Waistline Syndrome. Zane had it. Arnold had it. Unfortunately at this point, it is not contagious. The sport continues to suffer in the eyes of the masses as a result.

Why have the waistlines of the majority of competitive pro-bodybuilders grown so large? The answer is simple. The size range of most competitors is anywhere from five feet two inches to six to at the high end, with the majority standing between five-six and five-ten. With the Mass card being played to the hilt, you have guys in this range weighing between 220 and 300 pounds and entering competitions. This is far too heavy for men of this height and bone structure. I heart it said recently that most of the competitors are overfed, over-drugged and hence overweight. Looking at the pictures, I would tend to agree. There are a few competitors that have tried to hang onto their God given proportions. Yet even they have been forced into this barrage of over-eating and over-drugging to keep up and be noticed.

Let's talk about being noticed on stage. Jeff Everson published an article some months back showing five or six pro-bodybuilders lined up on stage They all looked the same. Same relative size, weight and look. Give or take a few inches or pounds. No one stood out from the others. A big reason for this is that they are all similar genetically, and on the same weight, drug and eating programs. It has become chemical warfare at best, and he who takes the lead in injecting new and crazy compounds into the body, much of it directly into muscles. How can we even call it a sport anymore, let alone a performing art?

The sport is doomed to extinction as were dinosaurs... if we do not turn this thing around soon. Let's clean up our sport and demand that the competitors start vacuuming for smaller waistlines and more acceptable physiques. Make stomach vacuum a mandatory pose in bodybuilding competitions. How anyone with a waistline over 34 inches maximum can win a physique show is a total mystery to the world. The time is ripe for a change. Judges, promoters, and bodybuilding magazines should stop rewarding the competitors who are on everything but the kitchen sink; including implants and oil slicks injected into muscle groups.

Click here if you would like to gain from Tom's extensive knowledge and experience in natural physique training.

Learning to Vacuum
By Frank Zane

The stomach vacuum pose is a lost art in today's big time bodybuilding competitions. I haven't seen anyone do it on state in a very long time. It was my most impressive and memorable pose and I always ended my posing routine with it. But bodybuilders of today have such big muscular abs that they can only hang out. There's too much to suck in. But even they could learn to vacuum by practicing it. After all Mike Mentzer had a decent vacuum pose and he did Roman Chair sit-ups with a 50 pound plate. Certainly someone without too much waistline muscle could get a good vacuum if they practiced. Even more so if your waist is already small. here's how: There are 4 positions to do the vacuum in, each one more difficult than the one before. Easiest is lying with your head downward, such as on a traction table. I have one that declines down to 30 degrees and it is easiest to puss your stomach in because gravity gives you a boost. Years ago I hung upside down with gravity boots and found this to be the easiest position of all for vacuuming.

Next in difficulty is lying flat on your back. Completely exhale, forcing all the air out of your lungs, squeezing your abs at the end of the exhalation to get all the air out. Now instead of inhaling, suck your stomach in so far that you eventually feel like it is touching your spine! This is best done on an empty stomach. Practicing vacuums when you are hungry is an excellent means to get your stomach smaller and retard hunger as well. After you suck our stomach in, put your finger on the bottom of your ribcage and lift up and suck in some more. Hold it as long as you can safely. Don't go overboard and pass out. This is really a yoga "Panayama" technique for breath control. I was able to hold a stomach vacuum for almost a minute when I competed in the 1970s.

Next step is to do the stomach vacuum with hands on your thighs, bending over forward. Exhale completely and suck your stomach in, Hold it........... longer and longer ....... Good.

Now you are ready to practice vacuuming with your hands behind your head. If you are a competitor, this is a great way to attract attention. When the judges call for the abdominal pose (in which the hands are in the same position) hit the abs hard with hands behind neck, then vacuum quickly, then go back to the ab shot.

Doing vacuums may bring home the realization of how important the serratus muscles are for all poses with arms overhead. Dumbbell pullovers lying across a flat bench was what helped me develop my serratus and ribcage.

Stomach vacuums won't do much to develop your abs, that takes leg raises and crunches. What it will do is give you greater breath control and help you decrease the girth of your gut.