Hello dear friends. Today I have the opportunity to interview one of the best bodybuilders of the 90's.
He has won many bodybuilding titles, including the second best bodybuilding show on earth, The Arnold Classic, and the very prestigious Night Of The Champions. He was one of the most powerful men in the sport. His amazing massiveness resulted from applying power bodybuilding to his program.
Of course I am talking about Mike Francois. Mike had one of the best backs, especially his lower back development. He built steel cable erector muscles with 800 pound deadlifts! Very few that I know of could deadlift like Francois.
Mike Francois is now a Certified Personal Trainer who specializes in the design of customized weight training and nutrition programs for people of all fitness levels. Mike has a diverse group of clients including professional & collegiate athletes, executives, bodybuilders, doctors, fitness competitors, and retirees.
1. Q. Mike, you had a great bodybuilding career having as the best time, the 1st place in the Arnold Classic in 1995, and many people believed at that time that you had the potential to be the next Mr. Olympia. Unfortunately, you had to deal with some very serious health problems a few years later. My question is will we see you competing again in the near future or you have officially retired from competitive bodybuilding?
M.F. I have officially retired from competitive bodybuilding. I still workout, but I will never again see the stage as a competitor. Bodybuilding was a lot of fun while it lasted and provided me with many exciting opportunities. I never set out to be a professional bodybuilder, so anything I accomplished or achieved (i.e., winning contests and earning a living from bodybuilding) was icing on the cake.
I have been involved in a few different ventures since retiring and am truly enjoying life after bodybuilding. I started a fitness consulting business which is going very well. My wife and I have a bodybuilding and fitness contest called The Mike Francois Classic that is held annually here in the Columbus area. I also have a fitness camp. The camp isn't just for bodybuilders - my campers range from the serious competitor to people who just want to get into great shape. If anyone would want more information about any of these things, they can check out my website at www.mikefrancois.com.
2. Q. I know that with bodybuilders at your level, the competition is extremely tough, since everybody is giving his 101% in order to become the best. Because of this high competition, how easy or how difficult is it to become good friends with some of your opponents? Did you make any real friends from bodybuilding?
M.F. It can be difficult to become good friends with your competitors. Anytime people are going after the same prize money or trying to get a contract with the same nutrition company or sponsor, it can put a strain on a friendship. I tried to never let that get in the way of being friends with some of my competitors. I think it was easier for me because I lived so far away from many of the other bodybuilders, and I only ran into them at contests or other bodybuilding related events. I consider everyone I competed against to be at least a casual friend, more or less just because of the bond we have as professional bodybuilders. I did develop a few good friendships while competing that are still intact today.
3. Q. What's the most important thing that you would change in bodybuilding in order to make it a better sport if you had this opportunity and why?
M.F. My goal for bodybuilding would be to get it recognized as a true sport. For instance, each year here in Columbus we have the Arnold Classic, however the local newspaper will not put it in the sports page. Bodybuilders are athletes and I think the sport should be recognized accordingly. I find it amusing that fishing will appear in the sports section, but bodybuilding will not.
Once bodybuilding is accepted as a sport by the mainstream, more doors will be opened (i.e., t.v. coverage by major networks, more sponsors and advertisers, more contracts for the athletes, etc.) and the sport will be legitimized.
At the same time, I do think the bodybuilding industry and various organizations are partly to blame for the lack of acceptance as a true sport. In my opinion, bodybuilding needs to clean up its image. I would like it to be portrayed and promoted more like the PGA, not the WWF.
4. Q. It's time for my last question to you Mike. I know how important for a bodybuilder it is to train hard, to eat right, and to recuperate plenty, but what about his supplementation? What supplements do you currently use and trust?
M.F. I believe in the following supplements:
1. Branch Chain Amino Acids: 9-12g. after workout
2. Glutamine: 15g. before training/15g. after training
3. Multi-Vitamin/Mineral: As directed on label
4. High protein powder: As needed for muscle repair and recovery
I feel these are the necessary supplements for anyone who trains at a high level of intensity. First and foremost, an adequate nutrition plan is the most important factor in achieving success in bodybuilding. Supplements are called supplements for a reason - they add to your body what you cannot get from your diet. Do not rely on them, yet take advantage of what they can do for your recovery and rebuilding.
ATTENTION!
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Check out his web site at http://www.mikefrancois.com |
You can contact him at:
Michael Francois
P.O. Box 26752
Columbus, OH 43226
USA
Don't miss out on the opportunity to get a photo of him for only $10 (plus $2 shipping), as well as his detailed Workout & Nutrition Programs for only $5 (plus $2 shipping).
Also don't miss out on the opportunity to ask Mike! For just $25, Mike will personally answer your detailed questions about bodybuilding, weight training, and/or nutrition. (Questions must be in writing). Limit five questions per $25.00 tape (plus $2 shipping)!
Check out his site for more information!
I would like to thank Mike very much for the time that he spent giving this interview. I wish him good luck in his future business plans, and I hope some time in the future I will again have the opportunity for another interview with him
Till my next interview, take care all.