The following quotes are from the forum ‘ironage.us’. It was a great forum with oldtime bodybuilders like Serge Nubret, Vince Anello and Richard Baldwin. I think the owner died and thus the platform was shutted down. Serge used to write some posts about training/diet and I was able to save them. Here are Serge Nubret’s posts…It’s a conversation between users and him.. I touched/edited nothing. It is pure truth! – Mr. Berg
CARDIO
Unchained: “I was just remembering an article I read a couple of years ago about Serge Nubret combining cardio and abs. I said he would do crunches without doing really hard contractions at a high rate of speed for 30 minutes straight giving a cardio effect. I was wondering if anyone knew any details on this, about the frequency and effectiveness of the routine. Obviously if this is what he did, it was extremely effective.”
Serge Nubret: “DEAR NELSON AND UC
I’M TRYING HERE TO GIVE BOTH OF YOU THE ANSWER ABOUT MY “TRAINING
CARDIO TYPE”
FIRST A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THAT I WAS TRAINING WITH VERY LIGHT WEIGHT.
NO IT IS NOT EXACTLY CORRECT. I USED TO TRAIN WITH A WEIGHT I COULD DO
ABOUT 12 TO 15 REPS FOR ABOUT 6 TO 10 SET WITH ONLY 30 TO 45 SECONDS OF
REST BETWEEN SET. ABOUT 4 TO 6 DIFFERENT EXERCISES BY MUSCLE GROUPS.
TRY THIS AND YOU’LL REALISE THAT THE WEIGHT YOU’LL BE USING WILL BECOME
HEAVY VERY FAST.
I WAS USING MY ABS TRAINING AS A CARDIO CESSION, I PREFER TO DO ABS
DURING ONE HOUR NO STOP THAT STAY ON A THREADMILL FOR ONE HOUR
BEST REGARDS
SERGE NUBRET”
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illiaZ: “can you believe it? serge nubret answering our questions… that is so great!! :-\
1 hour of abs? man that sounds like something I dont wanna do 😉 (and it shows of course….)”
Serge Nubret: “TO ILLIAZ
YES I PREFER TO DO 1 HOUR ABS NON-STOP WITH GOOD ABS RESULT SHOWING,
THAN 1 HOUR AEROBIC SHOWING NOTHING. WHAT DO YOU THINK?…
SERGE NUBRET”
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Nelson Montana : “Exactly. This is a point that I brought up in my book which received scores of criticism, but as more and more people are realizing (and guys like Serge knew all along) it’s the most logical approach to fat burning.� I’m used to criticism though.� When you go against the grain (as Vince did) and make people question their current thinking, it’s going to meet with some resistance.� (It’s one reason I avoid posting on boards…even here.� There’s always someone more anxious to shoot� down an opposing idea and defend the one they find most comfortable).� �
The thing about ab training and fat burning is this:� If you’re going to do a low level activity to raise heart rate and burn fat, doesn’t it make sense that you work a muscle at the same time? The abs are perfectly suited for that type of training.� �Instead, people jog for hours to burn some calories that are just replaced after they eat.� They wind up wasting energy and actually depeleting muscle tissue in the process.� Even many of todays pros don’t understand this but of course, a lot of these guys never had to struggle and investigate what works best.� They just have good genetics and fill the syringe to the top.� Aerobics that don’t work a muscle are a virtually worthless form of exercise.
This is another problem with HIT.� By itself, it simply does not rev the metabolism sufficiently to burn fat.� So, in turn, you have to do (inneffective) aerobics.� I think it’s hilareous when HIT advocates claim that “getting a pump” is worthless, then they go ride a bike� that doesn’t go anywhere for hours to try and get lean.� �With a few exceptions (there always are — in spite of Mentzers “all or nothing” philosophy) HIT has not produced many championship physiques that weren’t highly chemically enhanced. Now� I don’t want this to become another boring HIT conversation. Back to the original point…
The one area where the old timers surpass the current crop of pros is in ab development.� Sure, GH and insulin have bloated bellies, but the ab muscle are reletively shallow and require a certain type of training to get muscular, trim and tight.�
It’s doubtful that� too many guys will achieve results remotely similar to Serge, but the “Cardio-weight-training” form of exercise, which he was one of the first to advocate,� may be the most well rounded and effective training concept of all.� �But keep in mind, Serge can tolerate more volume than the average mortal.� Even Jack LaLanne, in his 90’s, does more volume than most men could tolerate in their 40’s.� Duplicating someone else’s program exactly is not going to produce exact results.� But what works well will work well for just about everybody.
Serge Nubret: “NELSON
AFTER READING WHAT YOU WROTE, I HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO ADD. YOU ARE 100%
RIGHT. THE ONLY THING I WILL SAY IF YOU PERMIT IS THE WAY I TRAIN IS
ONLY FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVES BODYBUILDING REALLY FOR ITSELF, NOT FOR
GLORY, OR MONEY AND WHATEVER ELSE. NOW CHAMPIONS STAY IN THE GYM 45 MN
OR LESS. IT REMIND ME SOMETHING, I WENT� THE OTHER DAY TO VISIT A
CHICKEN FACTORY, WHERE THESE CHICKENS SHOULD NOT MOVE TO INCREASE
THIERE MASS IN 3 SHORT MONTHS.
NOW I SAID THAT I AM WAITING FOR AVALENCHE OF CRITICISMS TOO BUT I
DON’T CARE, THAT IS THE FACT.
BEST REGARDS
SERGE NUBRET”
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TRAINING ROUTINE
xtreme : “Hi Serge,
What an honour to find you posting! I had just been discussing you recently with a friend, using you as a prime example of someone who kept training well into the twilight years as you trained sensibly.
When I started training, back in ’77, I was in awe at all your pictures in Muscle Mag, and such. Being a lat-freak at the time, I was mesmerised at your lat thickness and width. Later, it was your overall shape, which is in a class of its own.
I look forward to future posts, and especially your upcoming book. You can count me in as buying it as soon as it becomes available.
One quick question; I have heard various reports on how you trained, but have never been 100% certain how you proceeded? Thanks.”
Serge Nubret: “YES I’M WORKING EACH MUSCLE TWICE A WEEK
MONDAY-THURDAY…….TUESDAY-FRIDAY…….WENESDAY-SATURDAY
1� PEC-QUAD ( AND ABDS EVERY DAY )
2� DORSAL- ISCHIO – CALF
3� SHOLDERS – BICEPS/TRICEPS (AND CALF AGAIN)
MY RESTING TIME IS ABOUT 30-60 SECONDS BETWEEN SET (EXCEPT LEG)
FOR QUADRICEPS AND ISCHIO ABOUT 120 SECONDS OF REST.
FOR BACK-CHEST-SHOULDERS-ISCHIO-QUADRICEPS-CALF : ABOUT 40 SETS OF 11 TO 15 REPS. FOR BICEPS/TRICEPS ALWAYS SUPER SET OF 18 SETS AND 11 TO 16 REPS EACH.
THAT IS ABOUT MY NORMAL TRAINING.
SERGE NUBRET”
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OVERTRAINING
Wolverine :” Monsieur Nubret, did you ever overtrain with this routine, or did it always work? Did your abs get sore by training them everyday for 1 hour? Were you an ectomorph, or were you always a bit muscular before bodybuilding?
Thank you again for taking time out for answering our questions. It’s a dream come true having a bodybuilding legend like yourself here!!!”
Serge Nubret: “I NEVER OVER TRAIN BECAUSE I WAS TRAINING A MUSCLE GROUP ONLY TWICE OR MAX 3 TIME A WEEK. EXCEPT ABS, EVERY DAYS AS IT IS A SPECIAL MUSCLE YOU CAN DO SO. MY ABS NEVER GET SORE EXACTLY BECAUSE I WAS DOING THEM EVERY DAY.
BEFORE BODYBUILDING I WAS ALREADY MUSCULAR, AND NOT ONLY A BIT. I WAS UNIVERSITY CHAMPION OF “SHOT-PUT” I DON’T KNOW IF MY SPELLING FOR THIS WORD IS RIGHT, BUT IT’S THE WEIGHT OF 7 KG YOU THROUGH AWAY.
REGARDS
SERGE NUBRET”
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TRAPS
Tman: “Serge, � Great to have you here. I will never forget first seeing the book ‘Pumping Iron’ and reading that you would do 40 sets of 20 reps with 200 lbs in the bench press, and eat 9 lbs of meat a day. Aside from having one of the best chests of all time, I always wondered what you did for your traps? They were always fantastic!”
Serge Nubret: “HI
I NEVER WORK OUT MY TRAPS. I WAS EVEN TRYING TO FIND SHOLDERS EXERCICES
WHICH DO NOT WORK MY TRAPS AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT IT IS NOT SO EASY TO
FIND. WHEN YOU SAY 40 SETS IT IS TOTAL FOR CHEST INCLUDED BENCH PRESS.
ABOUT THE MEAT IT’S RIGHT.
REGARDS
SERGE NUBRET”
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ABS
Joe Meeko: “I think Serge would agree with me that abs are all in the diet. For how ripped he is I’m sure he dieted hard to bring out those abs. Someone could do a thousand sit-ups, crunches etc. a day and still won’t have good abs. You have to combine the diet along with the training or they just won’t show through.
Lets see if Serge agrees ;)”
Serge Nubret: “JOE
IN SOME WAY I AM AGREE WITH YOU AND IN SOME WAY NOT. IF YOU READ ABOUT
EVERYTHING I SAID ABOUT MY ABS TRAINING, YOU WILL SEE THAT I DO ABOUT
ONE HOUR ABS EVERY SINGLE DAY EVEN SUNDAY. ABS ARE THE ONLY MUSCLE
GROUP YOU CAN DO SO IT IS WHY THEY ARE SO DEEP. I TRAIN ABOUT 4 OR 5
HOURS A DAY SO I DO NOT HAVE TO DIET. NO I WILL NOT SAY LIKE THAT, WHAT
IS DIETING? IT IS TO EAT LESS CALORIES THAN YOU SPEND, SO IN SOME WAY I
WAS DIETING. BUT STILL EAT MY 8 OR 9 POUNDS OF RED MEAT AND RICE AND
BEANS. WHAT A PLEASURE DO TWO THINGS THAT I LOVE TO DO (TRAINING AND
EATING)
TAKE CARE
SERGE NUBRET”
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BENCHPRESS MAX REP STRENGTH
Robert: “To Serge Nubret,
Hi Serge, quick question for you. You say you used roughly 225 for many sets of 12-15 reps. You had a pretty strong 1 rep max bench press. My question is how often did you work up to a 1 rep max to test how strong you were?
And didn’t you find training with lighter weights affected your 1 rep max strength?
I know your a bodybuilder so i don’t mean to throw in a strength question but i’m curious.
Robert”
Serge Nubret: “ROBERT
ONLY REPS GIVE MUSCLE MASS, AND FOR A SAME FIBER MUSCLE QUALITY, THE
ONE WHICH IS BIGGER SHOULD BE STRONGER, RIGHT !… SO IF SOMEONE BECOME
BIGGER HE SHOULD BE STRONGER, BUT IT IS NOT SO SIMPLE, HE MUST FIRST
BELEIVE THAT HE BECAME STRONGER, SO FOR THAT HE SHOULD TRY SOMETIME TO
LIFT A WEIGHT HE CAN DO 10 REPS THEN 11 ..12…13 …….UP TO 15. WHEN
HE CAN DO 15 REPS HE HAVE TO TRY AGAIN TO FIND THE WEIGHT HE CAN DO 10
REPS AND DO THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER. WHY THIS SYSTEM ?…BECAUSE
FOR THE MIND IT IS EASIER TO DO ONE SET MORE THAN LIFT 5 OR 10 KG MORE
BECAUSE IN THIS SECOND THE WEIGHT IS COMING YOUR ENEMY WHICH IS NOT THE
CASE WITH THE REPS SYSTEM. IT WHY I DID NOT HAVE TO TRY A MAX OFTEN
(ONLY ABOUT ONCE EVERY 3 OR 4 MONTHS).
WITH A BODY WEIGHT OF 95 KG, I DID ONCE 225 KG ON BENCH PRESS, BUT I
BECAME EVEN STRONGER WHEN I COMBINED BOTH “REPS AND MAX” I THING I DID
ONCE 10 REPS WITH 200 KG. I STILL HAVE THE FRENCH RECORD IN BENCH PRESS
SINCE 40 YEARS.
I HAVE NEVER BEEN A POWER LIFTER, BUT 40 YEARS AGO POWERLIFTERS USED TO
SAY THAT BODYBUILDERS JUST HAVE MUSCLES BUT WAS NOT STRONG, SO IT WAS
MY PLEASURE TO GO TO SOME WEIGHTLIFTERS CHAMPIONSHIP AS A SPECTATORS,
BUT AT THE END I COULD NOT RESIST TO HUMILIATE THE WINNER OF MY WEIGHT
CLASS, BY DOING WITH THE SAME BAR HE JUST BEEN LIFTING, ABOUT 8 OR 10
REPS. KILLING IN THE WAY THE CHAMPIONSHIP. SO THE COMMENT ABOUT
BODYBUILDERS AND WEIGHTLIFTERS WAS OVER.
BEST REGARDS
SERGE NUBRET”
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DIET
pete69: “Hi Serge, great seeing you posting here. You have the most amazing body in all of bodybuilding. Your photos often end up as wallpaper on my computer screen. Back to your diet. Could you get into more specific detail in terms of what you did to lean out. I’ve read precontest you would eat 1 meal a day in the evening, and it was only meat and water.
I also read that you never got that truly ripped look until you went on this meat and water diet. Did you ever carb-up during the contest prep, or right before going on stage. Or would you stay on a no carb diet?
How was your strength without the carbs? I personally find myself, having low-carbed for several years, stronger without eating carbs.”
Serge Nubret: “HI PETE
I NEVER CHANGE MY DIET, IF YOU READ WHAT I SAID IN THE OTHER ANSWERS. ALL YEAR ROULD I WAS ALWAYS IN 90 OR 80% CONTEST SHAP. I WAS GUEST POSING ABOUT EVERY WEEK-END AND I DID ONLY 13 CONTESTS IN ALL MY LIFE. I HATED CONTEST ATMOSPHER.
I STARTED THIS KIND OF DIET IN 1971 AND NEVER CHANGE IT SINCE, BEFORE THIS TIME YES I WAS NOT SO RIPPED. I ANSWER ALREADY TO THIS QUESTION 2 DAYS AGO, LOOK FOR IT.
REGARDS
SERGE NUBRET”
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Iababdman: “Serge…………..One last question about your diet if you do not mind ……..Was that one half pound of rice and beans each that you were taking in total a day ? Or just a half pound total of of both ? And was this a precooked measurement or after being cooked ? Because that could be anywhere between 50 and 200 grams of carbs a day which is a big difference……….So that detail would be greatly appreciated ………..because you were taking in 600 – 1200 grams of protien a day� I am thinking the 50 grams of protein a day makes more sense , but maybe I am wrong ……..Also you only drank water when preping for a show , nothing else ?� your diet is interesting� �just trying to really understand it ….”
Serge Nubret: “PRECOOKED OF COURSE, 1/2 POUND OF RICE AND 1/2 POUND OF BEANS. SO ONE
POUND TOGETHER WHICH IS ABOUT 1500 CARB CALORIES. WHEN I HAVE 600-1200
GRAMS OF PROTEIN, IF I DON’T USE IT FOR MUSCLE THE LETOVER WILL BE USE
AS CALORIES.
WHAT YOU MEAN BY I DRINK WATER ONLY FOR PREPARING FOR A SHOW?….
SERGE NUBRET”
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Steve Chiet: “Hi Serge,
You are definitely the most impressive. A few questions here for you.
1) Do you eat much before a workout, 1-3 hours before you train?
2) I read that you only eat a lot at night, once a day is that true? If you eat during other times what did you eat?
3) Did you use any supplements in the 70’s, 80’s and now?
4) Do you control fluid intake or you drink as much as you want?”
Serge Nubret:” TO STEVE
YOUR 2� QUESTION IS TRUE, I HAD A VERY BIG MEAL AT NIGHT, AND AFTER MY
ABDS AND LEGS CESSION THE DAY AFTER I USE TO EAT SOME STAKES. I NEVER
USED SUPPLEMENTS ONLY VITAMINS AND MINERALS. DURING THE DAY I WAS NOT
DRINKING, ONLY AFTER TRAINING AS MUCH MY BODY WANTED.
SERGE”
Steve Chiet: “Hi Serge (Black Panther of Paris),
You mean you only drink more at night after your last training session (I read you train 3 times a day?)
Something I want to hear your view, what is the difference you think are in the physique ideals between the American and French Bodybuilders? French seems to concentrate a lot on abdominals and less on size. Does French bodybuilders like Benfatto and yourself has any ideals that are unique to the French?”
Serge Nubret: “HI STEVE
YES I DRINK AFTER MY TRAINING CESSION WHICH IS ABOUT 4 OR 5 HOURS BUT I
RESTED 1 HOUR AFTER EACH GROUP TRAINING CESSION TO LEAVE THE BLOOD AS
LONG AS POSSIBLE IN THIS PART. I DID NOT HAVE TO REST AFTER MY HOUR
ABDS. SO IF I WAS TRAINING 3 GROUPS A DAY YOU’RE RIGHT I TRAIN 3 TIME A
DAY.
BACK THEN, THE DIFFERENT WAY TO TRAIN BETWEEN AMERICAN AND FRENCH WAS
QUITE DIFFERENT, FRENCH PEOPLE WERE TRAINING MORE OR LESS LIKE ME, BUT
WITH ALL THE MAGAZINES AND CHIMICAL PRODUCTS THEY TRAIN IN THE AMERICAN
WAY ( 45MN A DAY), WHICH IS EASIER.
THEY USED TO LIKE BENFATO AND MYSELF, BUT TIME HAS CHANGE. I HEARD THAT
BENFATO WANTS TO DO A COMEBACK, I HOPE FOR HIM THAT HE WILL NOT CHANGE,
BECAUSE BENFATO IS BENFATO AND IF HE TRY TO BE SOMEONE ELSE HE WILL
MAKE A BIG MISTAKE.
SERGE NUBRET”
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MIND SET
Serge Nubret: “HELLO ADAM
FIRST THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR NICE WORDS YOU WROTE ABOUT ME.
FOR ME BODYBUILDING IS AN ART, WE SHOULD BE ALL ARTISTS, WHO SHOULD
LOOKING FOR PROPORTIONS AND BEAUTY. NOW BODYBUILDERS ARE MORE LOOKING FOR SIZE WHATEVER HOW THEIR BODY LOOKS LIKE.
I COULD BE AGREED WITH THAT IDEA IF THEY COULD HAVE THOSE SIZES
NATURALLY, BUT AS IT IS NOT, SO WE ARE RUNNING AFTER A DESASTER, A KIND
OF “FRANKESTEIN PARADISE” WHERE I DON’T WANT TO FIND MYSELF.
IF THE THE BODYBUILDING INSTANCE DON’T REACT WE WILL GO RIGHT IN THE
WALL AND CAUSE A BIG CRASH.
BODYBUILDING HAS REGRESSED SO, BECAUSE OF THE KIND OF MONEY THEY PUT
INTO THE GAME, I DON’T WANT TO SAY, HERE, THAT IT HAS TO MUCH MONEY, NO
I WANT TO SAY THE QUALITY OF THE MONEY, WHERE THIS MONEY IS COMING
FROM. MOST OF IT IS COMING FROM SUPPLEMENTS COMPANY, WHICH LET THE
PEOPLE THINK THAT THE CHAMPIONS CAN LOOK LIKE THAT ONLY BY EATING THEIR
PRODUCTS, WHEN WE KNOW WELL THOSE CHAMPION NEVER TAKE A GRAMM OF THOSE PRODUCTS EVEN IF THEY CAN HAVE THEM FOR FREE. BUT 170 000 000 US
CITIZENS DON’T KNOW ABOUT IT AND THAT IS THE POWER.
I USED TO EAT ABOUT 6 TO 9 POUNDS OF RED MEAT A DAY AND FOR CARBS 1/2
POUND OR RICE AND BEANS A DAY.
YOU SEEM TO HAVE A VERY NICE BODY WHICH ASKING JUST TO BE BUILT IN THE
RIGHT WAY. LET YOUR INTINCT GUID YOU, AND IT WILL IF YOU WORKING WITH
YOUR 3 POWERS, I MEAN BY THAT, YOU MIND POWER, YOUR EMOTIONAL POWER,
AND YOUR PHYSICAL POWER WHICH IS LESS POWERFULL THAN THE 2 FIRST WHICH IS COMING FROM INSIDE, EVERYTHING COMING FROM INSIDE IS MORE POWERFULL THAN THE OUTSIDE, NO DOUT YOU WILL SUCCED. I HAVE A COMPLET CHAPTER ABOUT THAT MATTER, IN MY BOOK, WHICH WILL PUBLISHED SOON.
ALL THE BEST ADAM
SERGE”
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TRAINING PHILOSOPHY
Mark Baron: “Serge
I have always been an admirer of your physique. Absolutely superb.
I have been surprised to see how you describe your training here because it is very similar to how I am currently training with good results. I am not up to 12 sets of bench pressing but I do 12-15 reps. I like how in control of the weight I feel. I like to concentrate and instead of thinking about pressing a heavy weight up, I think about bringing my elbows from out wide at the bottom, to bringing my elbows close together at the top by squeezing from my chest. I really feel it in the chest.
I had been doing HIT for years with poor results. While my friend would train very much like you and would be getting very big. He didn’t read muscle magazines either. He would just do more and more reps. He liked chin ups a lot.
I have some questions
1) When you started out would you add repetitions when progress stopped by doing more sets and more reps? Were you ever surprised by how many sets it would take to progress? Since you did work up to 40 sets for chest. I’m finding that for me I seem to need much more than what is commonly recommended.
2) I photo copied your routine from a book “3 more reps” I think. It was a long time ago. It said you would do 15 sets of leg extensions and 15 sets of leg curls (If I am remembering right) and before a contest you would do 10 sets of 300 free squats with no weight but your body. Would you describe how you trained to build your legs?
I’ve been copying your posts to my notebook and look forward to your auto-biography to learn more about your training.
I admire your physique. But I admire your character more. I liked reading how you would stand up to the Weider’s bullying. Thank you for posting here. You are very gracious.
Mark”
Serge Nubret: “HI MARK
YES, YOU RIGHT IN THE WAY YOU’RE DOING YOUR BENCH PRESS. FOLLOW YOUR
FREIND AND YOU’LL SEE THE RESULT WILL BE THERE FOR YOU TOO, BUT DON’T
FORGET THAT THE QUANTITY OF RED MEAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TOO.
1-NO I WAS RESTING LES AND LESS BETWEEN SETS BUT KEEPING THE SAME
WEIGHT, IN THIS WAY YOU WILL FIND THE PUMP VERY FAST, AND YOU KNOW THAT
THE PUMP IS GOOD TO GROW THE MUSCLE, FOR ME NO PUMP NO GROW.
2-YES I REMEMBER THIS BOOK BY BOB KENNEDY, IT WAS A GOOD BOOK. YES I
WAS DOING A LOT OF LEG EXTENSIONS AND CURLS AND LESS SQUATS. I DID NOT
WANT TO GROW MY WAIST AND MY ASS. BUT ABOUT THE FREE SQUAT BEFORE A
CONTEST, I WAS DOING 10 SETS OF 1000 REPS. FOR LEG AS I DID NOT WANT TO
BUILT A BIG ASS I USED TO DO SQUAT VERY HEAVY BUT I PUT A BENCH FOR NOT
GOING TO LOW. AND THE REST YOU KNOW, LEG PRESS,…
SERGE NUBRET”
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POSING
intenceman: “Serge Its an honor to have you here, and an even better one to have you participating so actively in the discussions. A question about posing- you were known for your excelent posing. How much and� how often did you practice?
Best wishes,
James”
Serge Nubret: “HELLO JAMES
THAT IS A MITH… I HEARD THAT TOO, BUT I DON’T BELEIVE I WAS A SO GOOD
POSER. I AM FROM THE CARAIBEAN, YOU KNOW OVERTHERE EVERY BODY KNOWS HOW
TO DANSE SO DANSING AND POSING ARE THE SAME THING, I NEVER PRACTICED.
WHEN YOU GO TO DANSE DO YOU PRACTICE? I JUST KNOW ABOUT THE FIRST POSE
I’AM GOING TO DO AND THE FINAL ONE. I POSED DURING MY ENTIRE LIFE MAYBE
A 1000 TIMES, AND I’M SURE I NEVER DID ONE ROUTINE TWICE.
BEST REGARDS
SERGE NUBRET”
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HEIGHT
Iabadman: “quick question ……if you are 5’9 and not the 6 feet that you were always listed , then Sergio must of been only 5’8 or shorter .Would you agree? How much do you think Sergio really weigh when he looked his best …….say 72 or maybe 80? And what about Arnold ? How much did he really weigh at his best? And maybe Zane and Franco as well? Also how tall would you say Zane was? I am just curious because it seems so much was exagerated back then ……All my best Serge …….I cant wait to have you out next year………..Rory tells me you are a great guy to have around ………………i hope things are well , take care of yourself”
Serge Nubret: “TO IABADMAN
WHEN I STARTED BOBYBUILDING I WAS 6 FEET TALL, ANS NOW I’M 5,9, DON’T
FORGET I’M 68 YEARS OLD NOW. I KNOW THAT SERGIO, WAS SHORTER THAN ME.
ABOUT WEIGHT I REALLY DONT KNOW FOR SERGIO, ARNOLD, FRANCO OR ZANE, I
REALLY DID NOT CARE I WAS CARE ONLY ABOUT THEIR SHAPE.
BEST REGARDS.
SERGE NUBRET”
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GREAT MEMORIES/QUOTES BY FANS AND SERGE NUBRET
arleyv :”Serge Nubret trained at my Renaissance Health Club in Louisiana twenty-something years ago.� Some of the members who were watching him remarked on the ‘light’ weights he was using (for a man of his muscular size), not realing what his methodology was all about.� One of the guys, a former college fullback and linebacker, worked in with Serge on bench presses.� Or rather, he tried to.� Serge was ‘only’ using 225 but he did 12 sets of 12-15 reps.� The ex-football player only lasted 3 or 4 sets before the reps started dropping and so did he.
Serge has been in so many places and gyms around the globe that he may not even remember, but he stayed at my house in Houma, Louisiana for a couple of days and very graciously gave a free seminar at my health club.
You don’t see that happen very much – if at all – today.”
Serge Nubret:
BONJOUR “GOOD DAY”
OF COURSE I REMEMBER, SPECIALLY, IT WAS THE ONLY TIME I CAME IN
LOUISIANA AND I THINK THAT BOYER COE IS FROM THERE, I REMEMBER TOO THAT
THE ORGANIZER ASKED TO POSE ON THE MUSIC OF “NABIA” BECAUSE HE LOVES IT.
SO YOU SEE I AM TELLING THE TRUTH ON THIS FORUM, WHEN I TALK ABOUT MY
TRAINING SYSTEM. SAY HELLO FOR ME TO ALL YOUR MEMBERS.
BEST REGARDS
SERGE NUBRET
Serge Nubret: “LITTLE TALES ABOUT SERGIO ? MY GODNESS, IN MY AUTOBIOGRAPHY BOOK THAT
I’M WRITING NOW SERGIO, ARNOLD, THE WEIDERS, ARE THOSE WHO KEEP MORE
PAGES.
I’LL TAKE MONTH TO TELL ABOUT SERGIO, BUT FOR TODAY, I’LL SAY THAT,
SERGIO IS THE MOST SURPRISING MAN I EVER MET.
I MET HIM FOR THE FIRST TIME IN LONDON, WHEN HE COMPETED AGAINST BILL
PEARL AND PLACED 2rd AFTER PEARL HE FELT SO DEPRESSED THAT I INVITED
HIM COME TO PARIS TO GUESS POSE IN THE 1971 Mr OLYMPIA, WHICH I WAS THE
ORGANISER. AT FIRST HE REFUSED, BUT I DID A PROPOSAL HE COULD NOT
REFUSE. I ASKED A GIRL FREIND OF MINE TO REPLACE ME FOR THE PROPOSAL,
AND A FEW DAYS LATER SERGIO WAS IN PARIS. COMPETE AT THIS Mr OLYMPIA
WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR SERGIO, HE WAS SUSPENDED FROM THE IFBB FOR COMPETING
IN THE NABBA Mr UNIVERSE, BUT HIM, GUEST POSING, DEPENDS ONLY ABOUT ME
AND I WANTED THAT THE FRENCH PEOPLE TO SEE BOTH ARNOLD AND SERGIO, BUT
WEIDER WAS NOT PLEASED WITH MY IDEA. SO BEN WEIDER ASKED ME TO REFUSE
SERGIO POSING, OF COURSE I REFUSED BEN PROPOSAL, BUT HE TRIED AND TRIED
AGAIN, AND FINALLY I TOLD WEIDER IF YOU REFUSE THAT SERGIO POSE, NO
CONTEST I’LL PAY BACK EVERY TICKET AND NO MORE CONTEST. IT IS WHY
SERGIO DID POSED. I DON’T EVEN KNOW IF SERGIO KNEW ABOUT WHAT I DID FOR
HIM.
AT THE WABBA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN PARIS. SERGIO ALWAYS TOOK TAXIS TO
COME TO TRAIN IN MY GYM, AND TELL ME THAT THE TAXI IS WAITING FOR
PAYMENT. HE ALWAYS PHONED ME FROM CHICAGO IN REVERSE CHARGE, AT ANYTIME OF THE NIGHT, FOR ME TO HELP HIM ON HIS TRAINING. (PARIS AND CHICAGO HAVE A DIFFERENT OF 6 HOURS), AND WHEN I WAS CALLING HIM, MAYBE IN THE AFTERNOON, NOT IN REVERSE CHARGE, HIS WIFE TOLD ME…”SERGIO IS RESTING”ONE DAY PACO A FREIND OF MINE, VERY RICH MAN, WAS IN PARIS AND INVITED US, SERGIO, MYSELF AND SOME OTHER FREINDS TO HAVE DINER TO ONE OF THE MOST SOPHISTICAT RESTAURANT IN PARIS, SERGIO CAME WITH THIS FABULOUS WHITE MINK JACKET WHICH EVERY BODY WERE ADMIRING, WHEN INSIDE OF THE RESTAURANT THE HOTESSE ASKED SERGIO IF HE WANTS TO LEAVE HIS JACKET OFF, AND OF COURSE SERGIO GAVE THE JACKET TO THE LADY, BUT HE WAS IN TAN-TOP IN THIS FIRST CLASS RESTAURANT, AT THIS EXACT MOMENT I SHOULD LIKE TO BE A LITLE MOUSE, BUT PACO WAS LAUGHING, AND SERGIO WAS
SPEAKING VERY LOUD IN SPANISH, SO LOUD, THAT EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE
RESTAURANT WAS LOOKING AT US;
I STOP FOR TO DAY IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT MOST OF THE “CHAMPS”
AND WEIDER READ MY AUTOBIOGRAPHY BOOK.
ALL THE BEST
SERGE NUBRET
PS (sorry for my bad english)”
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mtwain : “I first saw Serge in Pumping Iron when I was just a kid. A friend of mine who was an Arnold fan and just got his driving license took me to see the movie. I didn’t know much about bodybuilding and didn’t have a trained eye. In other words, I couldn’t really see much of a difference between Arnold, Lou, Franco, Katz, Waller…. Franco seemed more stocky than the others but everybody just looked huge and freaky. I couldn’t see how anybody could tell how one was better than the other. Then when they introduced the “unexpected entry” as they zoomed in on Serge’s abs as it rose and contracted as he breathed my jaw just dropped! I just turned to my friend and said, “My God! Look at that guy!” This guy to me was different. He stood out. To say Serge was stunning only understates the case. Standing relaxed (That’s it, Serge. That’s the position we want.) he had that look of noble magnificence that inspired pure awe to my virgin bodybuilding eyes. I wanted to tell Arnold, “He looks like he can take you.”�
I wonder, Serge, what your opinion of Arnold was. Although most of us, including myself, are fans of Arnold we know that he has a dark side. So don’t hold back. Give us the real dirt. I figure if I was competing at that time I would have hated him. It’s like he controlled everything.”
Serge Nubret: “THAT IS ARNOLD, HE LIKE TO CONTROL PEOPLE, BUT NOT ME, AND HE KNEW IT.
WITH ME ARNOLD HAS BEEN A VERY GOOD FREIND IN THE SPORT, BUT NOT IN
POLITIC OF THE SPORT FIRST, AS I DID CREATED MY OWN INTERNATIONAL
FEDERATION “WABBA” BECAUSE I WAS NOT AGREED WITH THE WAY “IFBB” WAS
RUNNING BY WEIDER IN SOME DICTATORIAL WAY. BUT ARNOLD DID NOT EVEN
CARE, AS FARE HE CARE ABOUT HIMSELF, HE WAS WEIDER BEST FREIND.
POLITIC…POLITIC..AS GOVERNOR, IT IS NOT MY WAY TO SEE THE WORLD AS
BUSH SSEING IT. I CANNOT BELEIVE WHAT HE SAID ABOUT “U.N” UNITED
NATION. ANYWAY THAT IS HIS PROBLEM.
YES I HAVE BEING TRAINING IN SOME WAY THAT I WILL NOT LOOK LIKE ANY
BODY ELSE AND TRY TO BE UNIC. BUT YOU MUST KNOW THAT IN SOUTH AFRICA
WHERE THE CONTEST WAS HELDED, WHEN THE WEIDER’S TEAM SAW ME THEY
SUSPENDED ME OF THE COMPETION, IT IS ONLY 12 DAYS LATER, AFTER ALL THE
COUNTRIES SAID THAT IF “SERGE NUBRET” IS SUSPENDED, NOBODY WILL COMPETE
SO AFTER 12 DAYS OF NEGOCIATIONS WEIDER HAS TO ADMIT THAT HE LOSS, I DO
NOT KNOW IF ARNOLD WAS BEHIND THAT ALL THING. ANYWAY BECAUSE OF THAT I
DID NOT TRAINED FOR 12 DAYS, I LOST 12 POUNDS AND I WAS LESS SHARP. NO
WAY ARNOLD WILL TAKE ME WITH THOSE 12 POUNDS MORE AND MORE SHARP. I AM
WRITING THE ALL STORY IN MY BOOK, AND MORE ABOUT ARNOLD.
SERGE NUBRET”
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Serge Nubret: “HELLO
I NEVER READ MAGAZINES OR LISTEN TO ANYBODY ADVICES. IT IS WHY MAYBE I
AM LIKE I AM, MEAN I DON’T LOOK LIKE NOBODY ELSE. AFTER YEARS OF
TRAINING BY MYSELF, I TRY TO UNDESTAND WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. WHY I
SUCCED WITHOUT ADVICES. SO I DISCOVER THE 3 FORCES. THE MIND POWER, THE
EMOTIONAL POWER, AND THE PHYSICAL POWER, WHEN YOU HAVE THOSE 3 FORCES
IN COMMUNION, EVERYTHING GOOD WILL HAPEN TO YOU.
-THE MIND POWER : WHICH IS COMING FROM YOUR INSIDE, YOU DETERMINATION
TO REACH WITHOUT CONDITION WHERE YOU WANT TO GO.
-THE EMOTIONAL POWER OR IF YOU LIKE, THE LOVE YOU HAVE FOR WHAT YOU ARE
DOING. IT COME TOO FROM YOUR INSIDE, IT IS AS IMPORTANT THAT THE MIND
POWER.
-THE PHYSICAL POWER WHICH IS YOU, YOUR PHYSIC, THE STONE THAT YOU HAVE
TO SCULPT. IT CANNOT BE AS STRONG AS THE 2 FIRST ONE BECAUSE IT IS FROM
YOUR OUT SIDE, IT
LISTEN TO THE 2 FIRST, IT DEPEND OF THEM.
SO WHEN THOSE FORCES IS IN PERFECT COMMUNION YOU CAN BE SURE OF THE
SUCESS, THOSE 3 FORCES GUID YOU FOR ACHIVENT, YOU DON’T HAVE TO THINK
ANYMORE EVERYTHIG ARE INSTINCTYVE, THE WAY YOU HAVE TO TRAIN, WHAT AND
WHEN YOU HAVE TO EAT, YOU BECOME A ROBOT DIRECTED BY THOSE 3 FORCES. IT
IS WHAT I DISCOVED, IT IS HARD TO EXPLAIN IT HERE IN ENGLISH, BUT I
WROTE A BOOK ABOUT IT, I HOPE IT WILL BE TRANSLATED IN ENGLISH.
TAKE CARE
SERGE NUBRET”
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Serge Nubret: “I MET STEVE REEVES FOR THE FIRST TIME AT NEW-YORK, AT THE DAN LURIE’S
HALL OF FAM, ORGANAZED THE SAME DAY THAN HIS FAMOUS Mr OLYMPUS HE USED
TO ORGANIZED. I USED TO SEE STEVE IN FRANCE ON ALL THE THEATER SCREEN
WHEN STEVE WAS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS ACTOR IN EUROPE. HE HAS BEEN
ELECTEDGOT THE BEST LOOKING ACTOR OF THE YEAR, BY THE FRENCH MOVI
MAGAZINE “CINEMONDE”. I WAS AT THIS TIME ONLY MAYBE 22 YEARS OLD. I
NEVER THOUGHT THAT ONE DAY I WILL MEET THIS FAMOUS MOVI STAR, AND I
WILL BE MYSELF A MOVI ACTOR TOO, AND MADE A MOVI CALLED,”GOLIATH AND
THE BLACK HERCULE” WITH GORDON SCOTT, ONE OF STEVE MOVI PARTNER WHO WAS
FROM CALIFORNIA TOO, THEY BOTH ACTED IN “ROMULUS AND REMUS” YOU KNOW
AS THE LEGEND SAID THEY FOUNDED THE ETERNEL CITY, CALLED “ROME”.
SO IT WAS WITH A BIG EMOTION I DECIDED TO GO TO INTRODUCE MYSELF, AT
THIS DAN LURIE’S PARTY, TO THIS LEGENDER SUPER ATHLETE NAMED Mr STEVE
REEVES. I REMEMBERED ASKING HIM :HELLO Mr REEVES ( I DID NOT HIS WIFE
ALINE YET, SO HE INTRODUCED ME TO ALINE ) AND I LOST WHAT I WANTED TO
SAY, I JUST SAID : HEU !… WHEN ARE YOU COMING BACK TO EUROPE ?…I
STOOD SURPRISED TO HEARD FROM HIM “THAT IS AN INVITATION ,…”
ONE MONTH LATER STEVE AND ALINE WERE IN PARIS, CAN YOU BELEIVE THAT
!…I FORGOT TO TELL YOU THAT I BECAME A BODYBUILDER BECAUSE OF HIM,
AND MY FIRST SON NAME IS STEVE, AND NOW I AM IN PARIS WITH HIM AND HIS
WIFE. PACO ARCE A GOOD FREIND OF MINE FROM SPAIN, “THE SECOND FORTUNE
OF SPAIN” WAS WITH US. WE WENT TO V�RONA “ITALY” THE CITY OF ROM�O AND
JULIETTA, TO MADRID “SPAIN” TO PACO’S SUPER BUILDING. BUT WHEN WE WENT
TO ANVERS “BELGIUM” ALINE DID NOT WENT TO GO, SO STEVE WAS BY HIMSELF,
IT IS THE FIRST TIME THAT STEVE WAS REALLY HIMSELF. IN FRONT OF ALINE
HE WAS ALWAYS SILENCIOUS, HE HAD A BIG RESPECT FOR ALINE CULTURE, IT IS
THE DAY I LEARNED MORE THINGS ABOUT THE COUPLE. ALINE WAS AN CONTESS
FROM POLAND. ALINE WAS SPEAKING 7 LANGUAGES
ONE YEAR OR SO LATER, PACO AND I, CAME TO CALIFORNIA AND BEING INVITED
BY STEVE TO VISITE HIS RANCH, BUT THE DAY BEFORE THIS EVENT, WE WENT TO
EAT WITH SOME BODYBUILDERS OF SANTA-MONICA TO THE FAMOUS RESTAURANT
“FISH AND C�”. ARNOLD WAS WITH US TOO. AND I DO NOT KNOW WHY THE
CONVERSATION TURNED TO WHOM OF ALL THE FAMOUS BODYBUILDER DID MORE FOR
OUR SPORT ?… ARNOLD SAID : REG PARK. THE ATMOSPHER FELT DOWN WHEN
PACO WHO WAS YOUR HOST, SAID TO ARNOLD : “I KNOW WHY YOU SAY REG PARK,
BECAUSE YOU BEAT HIM AT THE NABBA Mr UNIVERS, SO IN THIS WAY YOU
DESIGNING YOURSELF AS THIS ONE WHO DID THE MOST. AND HE ADDED, STEVE
REEVES IS THE GUY WHO DID MORE. I DID NOT NO WHAT TO DO.
FOR ME PERSONNELLY STEVE IS THE BODYBUIDER WHO BROUGHT MORE YOUNG KIDS,
MILLIONS OF THEM, TO OUR SPORT, AND ARNOLD IS THE ONE WHO BROUGHT MORE
BODYBUILDERS TO BODYBUILDING, THAT IS A BIG DIFFERENCE.
IN 1988 I WAS THE ORGANIZER OF THE WABBA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN
GUADELOUPE, MY BIRTH COUNTRY, I INVITED THE REEVES FAMILLY ONCE MORE AS
HE IS VERY KNOWN THERE, HIS FILMS WAS A VERY BIG SUCCESS IN GUADELOUPE,
I INVITED MY GOOD FREIND, FROM CALIFORNIA, JOHN BROWN TOO (HI JOHN !…
HOW ARE DOING) SORRY !… I HAVE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SAY SAY
HELLO TO A MY BEST FREIND JOHN. BY THE WAY IF SOMEONE HAS NEWS FROM
JOHN, GIVE HIM MY BEST. LET GO BACK TO GUADELOUPE IN 1988 WITH THE
REEVES’S AND JOHN. I REALLY THINK THAT IS THE BEST TIME WE HAD
TOGETHER, BECAUSE, I DO NOT KNOW WHICH ONE OF YOU KNOWS JOHN, THIS GUY
HAS THE FACULTY TO CREATE THE ATMOSPHERE.
I DID THOUGHT THAT IT WILL BE DIFFICULT FOR JOHN THIS TIME TO CREATE A
SUCH ATMOSPHERE SPECIALLY NEXT TO ALINE, I WAS WRONG, I THINK THAT IS
THE ONLY TIME THAT ALINE WAS REALLY HERSELF, STEVE I KNEW ALREADY ABOUT
HIM IN BELGIUM. SO I WAS SO GLAD THAT ALINE SHOWN HER REAL SELF IN MY
COUNTRY, JUST BEFORE SHE DIED A FEW MONTHS LATER. AND STEVE A FEW YEARS
JOINED ALINE.
I AM SURE THAT BOTH OF THEM STILL LOOK FROM WHERE THEY ARE ON THOSE
HORSES THAT THEY LOVE SO MUCH, SPECIALLY THIS ONE ALINE SHOWN ME AND
PACO WHEN WE VISITED THEM AT THEIRE RANCH, THIS HORSE WAS COMPLETLY IN
A DOLDEN COLOR, HE WAS UNIC IN THE ALL WORLD TOLD ALINE AND STEVE TO US.
SERGE NUBRET”