About Joel Continued...

The drawback was, I hadn’t done much of anything for 18 years.  Previously, I won the 1985 NPC Southern States bodybuilding open lightweight division.  My BS and Masters Degree is in Exercise Physiology.  After two years of training and reacquainting myself with training, and becoming the schools’ strength coach, I had gotten in better shape but still had a long way to go.

In November 2005, I was surfing the web and put in a search for Frank Zane.  I discovered the Frank Zane website and called to order  Mind, Body, Spirit Training Diaries and the Zane Training DVD.  Christine answered and spoke with me for 20 minutes or more.  I called another time to get more information on the Mind Muscle Machine and Frank answered.  I remember something powerful that was said on the phone,  “Why don’t you come out to San Diego, CA to train with me ( Frank).  He said I would be able to win with his help.  I told Frank he gave me a new dream.  I spoke to the Athletic Director and Science Department Chairperson at the school.  I also teach Honors Anatomy & Physiology, Biology and Health at the high school level.  By February 2006, I had scheduled a 3 day Zane Experience May 29th, 30th and June 1st, 2006.  On the 28th of January 2006, I weighed 192 pounds at 25% body fat.  I began training with incredible focus.  I received the Zane Training Manual and watched the Training DVD 3 times.  I kept a detailed training and food journal and used the routine in the Training manual.  Day 1, torso;  Day 2, rest;  Day 3, legs;  Day 4,arms; Day 5, rest.  By the time I got to San Diego there was 7 weeks until the NPC Southern States bodybuilding championships.  I was weighing about 177 pounds.  Frank is a consummate teacher.  We seemed to connect.  I really loved his sharing his music with me. He gave me one of his hand made flutes which I play daily.  We trained torso on day 1.  I got a great pump focusing on function and form, proper technique making the weight feel heavy.  On day 2 we trained legs, took pictures, and went over diet.  It was then I adjusted my diet to Frank’s suggestion of low carb (100 grams) intake for 3 days and on day 4 increase my carbs to the same level as my protein intake.  Frank also suggested the low carb Monster drink with a teaspoon of Zane glutamine 20- 40 minutes pre-training.  Finally, I supplemented with Zane egg white protein to keep my protein intake high.  Finally, on day 3 we trained arms, analyzed pictures. It was a quick fun training session.  The time flew by.  I continued to train in a focused fashion.  I used the Mind Muscle Machine daily with the “Positive Attitude” affirmations, “Relax to the Max” and “Sleep Waves”.

I was teaching summer school the day after I returned home and with all the responsibilities of having 3 children and completing home repairs from last years hurricane, training was my positive coping mechanism.  By listening to Frank the body fat came off and I still maintained the muscle.  I emailed Frank and he told me to practice posing daily.  It would make a difference.  Being in South Florida, I was able to go to the beach and pose on secluded beaches for at least an hour daily between 8:00am and 9:00am (avoiding the harmful intense sun), and I increased my ab work.  The last week before the show my last training day was Tuesday.  Frank discouraged any extreme sodium loading/depletion diets you read in the magazines.  I focused on posing, tanning and resting.  I kept repeating 3 positive affirmations: 1)“I have already won”; 2) “I feel my waistline shrinking”; 3) “Everything works when you let it”.

I went into the show strong, confident and relaxed on July 15, 2006.  I won the NPC Southern States Masters over 40 lightweight division championship, weighing 162 pounds at 11% body fat.  In the Mind, Body, Spirit Training Diaries, page 139, Frank describes a dream 2 weeks before the 1977 Mr. Olympia between him and Robbie Robinson; “the contest was not between him and me but between me and me”.  This affected me in such a positive way because “your path is your goal”.  I won the show I previously won when I was 21 years old, 21 years later.  I was competitor #21.  I would have never realized the degree of improvement without The Zane Experience.  From a coaching and teaching perspective this make a huge impact.  I give it a perfect score.

Thanks to Frank and Christine Zane.