Training Tips from Paul 'The Mauler' Lazenby.

As a guy who has competed at both weight training/strength sports and competitive fighting, I can say with authority that the two have some very important similarities that athletes in both arenas need to address if they want to attain success.

First of all, it is crucial that both the dedicated bodybuilder and the competitive fighter have an innate ability to push their own limits, or at least allow them to be pushed by a trainer. In bodybuilding, one is looking to force the body to carry muscle in a quantity and configuration that are not natural to it, while in fighting one is voluntarily placing themselves into a situation where a lack of performance can result in great bodily harm, or even death. In both cases, if the athlete does not have the willpower and ability to push themselves well beyond their normal, "God-given" limitations, then they are going to come up tragically short in the competitive arena, and end up being laughed off the platform or beaten down to the canvas. To put it bluntly, if you're going to wimp out in training then don't even bother trying to compete.

The second aspect (and probably the most tragically underemphasized) is DIET. I've met so many athletes who give minimal attention to what they're shovelling into their cake-holes, and yet they complain about not meeting their physique and/or performance goals. Your food is your fuel--if you pour grain alcohol into a Ferrari, it certainly isn't going to perform up to its potential, and your body is the same way. Whether you're looking to be a shredded beast or a killer in the ring, my advice is to have your diet professionally tailored. In every contest I ever competed in, no matter if it was strongman, powerlifting, MMA or Muay Thai, my performances were night-and-day different when my diet was on point.

And of course, there's the issue of supplementation. In different ways, both bodybuilders and pro fighters push their bodies to the absolute extreme and beyond. To both aid in the ability to do this and recover from the after-effects of training, a solid supplementation program is an absolute must. Sometimes there's one factor that separates winners from losers, and often that factor is the quality of the supplement line that the winner has added to a proper diet. That's why I've been a FUSION athlete for the past ten years, and that's why I've won three Canadian titles under the FUSION BODYBUILDING banner.

So follow those three simple rules--bust your ass, follow your diet and take your FUSION supps--and one day you too could find yourself standing atop the podium holding a trophy over your head, or wearing championship gold around your waist!

Train hard, good luck, and NEVER quit!!!



Paul "The Mauler" Lazenby
NFC Canadian Superheavyweight MMA Champion
3 time, Undisputed, Undefeated Canadian Superheavyweight Muay Thai Champion
Silver medalist, Canadian Jr. Powerlifting Championships
3rd Place, Canadian Strongman Championships
Stuntman/actor