Performance Press / May 2013 - Parrillo Performance

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Kelly O’Brien: 

Fitness Dynamo 

Over-50 physique champion has incredible recovery 

from near-death experience 

By Marty Gallagher 

 

Photo by Ted Pierce 

Kelly O’Brien lives her life 

to the fullest. She is an 

age-defying bodybuilding 

champion and the epitome of a human 

dynamo: energetic, active, vibrancy 

personified, Kelly is a cardcarrying 

professional bodybuilder 

on the wrong side of 50. She still 

competes at a high level in bodybuilding 

and has just embarked on a 

new competitive career as a Figure 

competitor. Kelly is a grandmother 

and packs an unbelievable amount 

of activity and living into her busy 

and energetic life. This athletic 

lady started weight training at the 

tender age of 15 and used bodybuilding 

as a way in which to overcome 

her undiagnosed anorexia. “I 

weighed 78 pounds in high school; 

this was before eating disorders 

were known of or discussed. By 

taking up bodybuilding I squared 

away my nutrition and once I overcame 

my aversion to food, I found 

I added muscle quite easily and 

quickly.” Once she committed to 

bodybuilding Kelly progressed so 

rapidly that by age 18 she entered 

her first bodybuilding competition. 

Kelly began competing in the 

(then) embryonic world of female 

bodybuilding; this was back in the 

early 1980s. Kelly recalled those 

early days. “I was raised in California 

and exposed to the Southern 

California bodybuilding 

scene very early on. I competed 

in one contest where 

Corey and Jeff Everson competed 

in the dual-pairs competition. 

This would have been 

before Corey began her long 

Olympia reign.” Kelly moved 

around Southern California, 

from San Diego to Catalina 

Island before moving to Kodiak, 

Alaska in 1990. “I was 

intrigued about Alaska. I was 

seriously looking for some real 

life adventure. This prompted 

my move north.” Unfortunately 

soon after relocating 

to Alaska, she went through 

a horrific, life-altering event. 

On New Year’s Day of 1993 

Kelly was a passenger in a 

vehicle that accidently drove 

off an Alaskan mountainside 

cliff. The vehicle plunged 

1000 feet before crash landing. 

Kelly’s friend was killed. 

She lay trapped for hours; 

her pelvis shattered, she was 

near death and drifting into 

hypothermia when rescuers 

arrived and she was finally 

helicoptered to a hospital. 

She survived but was physically 

and emotionally dev- 

Photo by Lorenzo Gasper 

Kelly in August 2011, winning 1st place in 

Open Women’s Bodybuilding and Grand 

Masters at the California ABA-INBA 

May 2013 / Performance Press 1-800-344-3404 www.parrillo.com www.parrillo.com 1-800-344-3404 Performance Press / May 2013

JOHN PARRILLO’S PERFORMANCE PRESS 

Kelly O’Brien: Fitness Dynamo 

Photo by Jil Chipman 

“One of my biggest thrills is assisting a 

sincere person in transforming physically – 

what could be more satisfying or provide 

greater job satisfaction?” 

astated. “It took a long time to recover.” 

At the time of the accident 

Kelly had been in the best shape of 

her young life. “I was a few weeks 

away from competing in the Alaska 

State bodybuilding championships 

when the accident occurred. 

The only reason I survived was 

my excellent physical condition.” It 

took a long while for Kelly to get 

her life back on track; it took years 

for her to regain any semblance of 

physical normality. As soon as she 

was physically recovered, Kelly 

began serious training. “Just as 

bodybuilding had helped 

me overcome my eating 

disorder, now bodybuilding 

helped me rehabilitate 

myself after the accident.” 

Over the next few years she 

patiently rebuilt her shattered 

body. Given time and 

using bodybuilding training 

and nutrition, she rehabbed 

her physique to a degree that 

exceeded her pre-accident 

physical condition – which 

had been superb. It seemed 

miraculous how far she had 

risen given how close to 

death she had been. 

Kelly got so good that in 

2010 she jumped back into 

the competitive arena. 

“In 2010 I competed in 

the ABA California State 

Bodybuilding Championships. 

I won my class and I 

won the overall title. I won 

my pro card. All in my first 

competition coming off 

a long retirement; I was 

slightly shocked and extremely 

pleased.” Kelly 

was ecstatic and reenergized. 

She was also a 

bit bedazzled at all the 

new divisions in female 

bodybuilding that had 

sprung up since she left 

the scene. “I was a little out of 

touch and was caught unaware of 

the new divisions: bikini, figure 

and physique. We are now back 

in high heel shoes competing. It 

seems like only yesterday when 

I heard the beautiful and regal 

Carla Dunlop make an eloquent 

plea for women to “lose the high 

heels in competition and act like 

athletes!” Kelly set aside any reservations 

and donned her heels 

and by the time you read this she 

will have competed in a high-level 

Figure competition. 

Kelly has been a fitness professional 

since her teens. “I have worked 

in the gym business, the fitness 

business, since I was age 18.” Currently 

Kelly is the proud owner of 

Kelly’s Fitness Plus & White Wolf 

Gym. She is located in Weaverville, 

California. At this stage of 

her long career Kelly O’Brien is 

the consummate fitness professional 

and a genuine business dynamo. 

Her facility has fitness service-related 

contracts with the County Behavioral 

Health clinic, the County 

Hospital, the Weaverville School 

District, Lumber Mill, Fish & 

Game and the Public Utility District. 

Kelly added, “We are an affiliate 

of Silver Sneakers, a Health 

Ways insurance wellness and exercise 

plan that Senior citizens 

can obtain through Medicare. We 

sponsor the Annual Health Fair in 

conjunction with the United States 

Forest Service.” Weaverville is the 

County Seat and a picturesque locale 

that boasts the Trinity Alps. 



Kelly in her gym demonstrating 

lat pulldowns to client Lona 

“Our town was runner-up last year 

for Best Small Town in the United 

States.” Kelly’s facility has 400 + 

members, this is up 250 from two 

years ago. 

“I have a terrific staff; six certified 

personal trainers, five certified 

group exercise instructors and my 

new manager, Tina Scott. Tina is 

enabling me to not have to work 

80 hours per week.” Kelly is not 

joking. “I will teach eight to ten 

cardio classes per week, including 

ZUMBA, Cardio Dance, and Spin. 

I also will lead classes in yoga, Pilates, 

Aqua, Boot Camp and Women 

with Weights. I do most of the 

one-on-one consultations and write 

the exercise prescriptions. I match 

clients to the classes and to the fitness 

training they specifically need 

to get results. I do about ten hours 

of one-on-one personal training 

per week. I enjoy getting 

real results for regular people. 

That is really what the fitness 

business should be all about. 

One of my biggest thrills is 

assisting a sincere person in 

transforming physically – 

what could be more satisfying 

or provide greater job satisfaction?” 

In addition to all this, 

she needs to find time for her 

own training, which requires 

15-20 hours per week. 

She has to wear many hats 

as the owner of Fitness Plus. 

“I teach three spin classes 

per week, four Zumba/Salsa 

classes and three Cardio 

Dance Classes. Obviously, 

with that much aerobic activity 

I have to eat a lot of food 

just to break even. I need to eat 

at least 3000 calories on days 

I work out. I need to sustain 

the muscle tissue around my 

joints (especially my hips) as 

this keeps my accident-related 

pain at bay. I cannot put too much 

stress on my joints. I avoid high impact 

cardio activity. I love a light, 

jog/run with my 

dog CeCe. When 

I am training for 

a competition, I 

keep the jogging to 

a minimum. I really 

am getting into 

teaching Yoga, Pilates 

and Balance 

Dance class, as 

these classes force 

me to slow down. 

I “breathe in” my 

days, smell the 

roses, so to speak, 

I re-center myself. 

Flexibility, balance 

and range of 

motion are vital 

as we grow older. 

Photo by Jil Chipman 

I also teach Boot Camp and this 

format gives me an excuse to play 

with medicine balls, kettlebells, 

calisthenics and TRX Suspension 

training. I love exercise variety.” 

Kelly has had a long association 

with John Parrillo. In an odd twist 

they actually met in Alaska. “I first 

met John Parrillo back in 1998 

when I was living in Kodiak, Alaska. 

I went to a bodybuilding seminar 

that John was putting on right 

before the 1998 Alaska State bodybuilding 

championships that I was 

competing in. I thought his seminar 

was incredible and his no-nonsense 

approach made perfect sense 

to me. We started using Parrillo 

Products for our own preparation 

and we began selling these potent 

supplements at our gym in Kodiak, 

Alaska. John’s seminar theme was 

“bodybuilding preparation.” It was 

held at Lindsay Knights’ gym in 

Anchorage. John really motivated 

me. I was further thrilled when later 

that weekend I won my division 

in the Alaska State Bodybuilding 

Championships.” 

Kelly really got back in the swing 



“Motorcycles are almost as fun for me as 

weightlifting! I have a 2004 GSXR 750 and 

a Buell 1200s Lightning,” says Kelly. 

of things at the 2011 Natural Olympia 

competition. “I won the Overall 

Masters (Junior 35 thru Grand 

Masters 59) Physique and the silver 

medal in Grand Masters Bodybuilding 

and was ecstatic to be 

back competing. It really felt right. 

In 2012 I competed in the California 

State bodybuilding championships, 

winning two classes. Again, 

how gratifying to be recognized for 

your hard work. I decided to warm 

up for the 2012 Natural Olympia 

by entering the ABA Western 

States, and I got 1st place in the 

Grand Masters Physique and 1st 

Place Open Bodybuilding. I 

competed at the 2012 Natural 

Olympia and won the Grand 

Master title in the over 50 

years of age division and 

the Overall Masters (Junior 

35 thru Grand Masters 59) 

Physique.” Another female 

competition format caught 

her eye. “Four months ago I 

decided that I would like to 

try competing in the Figure 

Division. I am in training 

right now to do my first NPC 

Figure show, a national qualifier, 

in Sacramento on March 

23 rd . I feel that I am starting 

all over again, this time in a 

new and different format. It 

is exciting and exhilarating. I 

find that I still get that 

same fantastic adrenaline 

rush each time 

I step out onstage.” 

Which means we can 

look forward to seeing 

Kelly onstage far into 

the foreseeable future; 

she will (no doubt) continue 

to redefine our 

dated concepts about 

age and aging. 

Kelly’s 

Workout Split 

Day 1 

Push/Chest 15 to 18 sets 

Pull/Shoulders 9 to 12 sets 

Day 2 

Legs 20 to 24 sets 

Wednesday off (“I teach a 

ton of classes that day.”) 

Day 3 

Pull/Back 15 to 18 sets 

Push/Shoulders 9 to 12 sets 

Day 4 

Pull/Biceps 10 to 12 sets 

Push/Triceps 10 to 12 sets 

Calves 8 to 12 sets 

“I never do the same routine twice 

in the same week. I hit each body 

part one time a week REALLY 

HARD. When I am training for 

a competition I will try to hit one 

or two body parts twice a week. 

Because I am so busy at the gym 

working, I sometimes split my 

workout up during the day. I might 

do half of my back routine in the 

morning and then hit the other half 

of the back at night. I like to perform 

six to nine sets of abs for the 

core in every workout. I rarely do 

the same exercises in the same order. 

I have staple exercises: I will 

always use some variation of deadlifts, 

squats, lunges, bench press 

(both incline and flat), bent-over 

rows and pull-ups. I seldom do less 

“This is my training partner and one of my 

trainers, Wiyaka Previte. This was her 1st 

show, 2011 ABA Natural California State 

Championship, bikini division. She did terrific!” 

Photo by Lorenzo Gasper 

Kelly onstage at the August 2011 

California ABA-INBA 

than 4 sets of an exercise for larger 

muscle groups. I like to use progressive 

poundage on the first 3 to 

4 sets, and then finish with a high 

rep, strip set, or drop set, working 

down to lighter weight, preferably 

finishing with some forced reps administered 

by a really good training 

partner.” 

“I perform Parrillo fascial stretching 

and flexing between my sets. 

On Saturday I will hit whatever 

body parts I did not get a chance 

to work during the week. I always 

take one weekend day off. I have 

had the opportunity to train with 

the Olympic-level track and field 

athletes and as a result of doing 

cardio with them I found that I get 

great results (for my legs) by adding 

interval drills into my training. 

For example, walking lunges can 

be done for 20 seconds followed 

by high knee kicks for 20 seconds 

then immediately perform squat 

walks for 20 seconds – this is followed 

by an easy jog for 

about a minute. I repeat 

this sequence three times. 

This is a fabulous aerobic 

format and can be used as 

a template to create your 

own 20-20-20 second/one 

minute jog cycle.” 

4:15 AM: Parrillo Soft 

Chew Bar with coffee 

6 AM: Oatmeal mixed 

with Parrillo Optimized 

Whey Protein powder, 

1 tbsp of CapTri ® 

9:00 AM: Parrillo Soft 

Chew Bar 

11:00 AM: Veggies and 

rice fried up in CapTri ® , 5 

ounces of chicken 

or 5 egg whites 

1:30 PM: Parrillo 50/50 

Plus post-workout 

2:00 PM: Yams, asparagus, 

tilapia, shark or halibut, 1 

teaspoon of CapTri ® 

4:30 PM: Parrillo Soft Chew 

Bar 

7:00 PM: Parrillo Hi-Protein 

Shake, veggies and 1 

tablespoon of CapTri ® 

9:00 PM: Broccoli and 

chicken sautéed in CapTri ® 

Parrillo Supplements: 

Muscle Amino , Evening 

Primrose Oil , Creatine 

Monohydrate, Parrillo vitamins 

and minerals, Advanced 

Lipotropic when getting 

ready for a competition. 

“I use all the Parrillo products 

at some point during 

the year. I love Parrillo Liver 

Amino Formula and the new 

Soft Chew Bar is delicious; 

an amazing high protein/low 

Kelly O’Brien: Fitness Dynamo 

Kelly’s 

Nutrition Plan 

calorie taste treat. I sometimes will 

have some strawberries or melon 

as a treat. I love butter flavored 

CapTri ® . I make salad dressing out 

of the regular CapTri ® flavor. I need 

the extra calories without having 

to be full all the time. I probably 

eat too many Parrillo Soft Chew 

Bars . They are delicious. When 

I am not training for a competition 

I always allow myself one free day 

to go out to dinner and have butter 

on my potato or a filet. I think 

of my body as a race car and if I 

want it to perform optimally I have 

to use quality fuel.” 

Last Minute Update: Kelly let us 

know she has qualified for the NPC 

Masters Nationals with a 2nd place 

win in Figure! Congratulations 

Kelly! 

Kelly with her boyfriend Dan Powers: 

“Here’s Dan backstage with me...he is always 

there to help me at a show!” 



Recently I started dieting at 

16 weeks out from what 

will be my third appearance 

at the NPC Team Universe. 

As soon as I tell people 

that, they usually want 

me to run down my 

contest diet in detail, 

down to the last gram 

and calorie. I could do 

that, but it would not 

be very useful to most 

of you. I eat the way I 

eat after many years 

of doing this - my first 

contest was 24 years 

ago in March of 1989 

when The Cosby Show 

and Roseanne were the 

top-rated TV shows! 

I don’t coach people 

on nutrition, mainly 

because I lack the patience 

and I’m simply 

not interested. But I 

have arrived at some 

‘rules’ that I follow 

when I diet that would 

be helpful to most others 

seeking to lose as 

much bodyfat as possible 

while maintaining 

their muscle mass. 

1. Eat most of your carbs around 

training 

I have been doing this for many 

years now whenever I dieted, because 

it just makes sense. Give 

your body carbs when it needs 

“If you want to get ripped, 

you need to follow the rules!” 

them, and don’t eat carbs when 

you don’t need them. Sounds 

like common sense, but common 

sense isn’t so common. You do 

need carbs before your workout to 

provide fuel for a good workout - 

muscular contractions and a pump 

- and you need carbs to replace 

the muscle glycogen 

you spent during the 

workout. A Parrillo 

50/50 Plus shake really 

hits the spot immediately 

after training! 

In the off-season, 

you want more carb 

meals as the day goes 

on because you want 

a constant surplus of 

calories. When your 

goal is to lose as much 

fat as possible, that no 

longer makes sense. 

At the start of my diet, 

I will have a third carb 

meal. At some point as 

the weeks go by, that 

will be cut and my only 

complex carbs will be 

eaten in the pre and 

post-workout meals 

(vegetables are considered 

‘fibrous carbs’). If 

I feel my calories need 

a boost, I will drizzle 

some CapTri ® on my 

meals later in the day. 

2. Don’t mix carbs and fats in the 

same meal - most of the time 

A BODYBUILDER IS BORN: Generations 

Not everyone agrees with this 

policy, but it’s worked very well 

for me. Carbs and fats are both 

energy sources. I simply don’t feel 

the body needs both at once. That 

being said, all my diet meals that 

don’t include carbs 

do include healthy 

fats from sources like 

nuts, lean red meat, 

salmon, or CapTri ® . 

The only meal I 

break this rule with is 

breakfast, since I feel 

whole eggs are much 

better and more nutritious 

for you than 

egg whites. As such, 

I have 3 whole eggs, 

3-4 egg whites, and 

gluten-free oatmeal 

(more about gluten 

in a moment). If 

I am eating a very 

lean protein source 

like chicken/turkey 

breast or white fish 

and it’s not a pre or 

post-workout meal, I 

will usually have half 

a cup of nuts to keep 

my calories up and 

just to help me feel 

fuller and maintain 

energy. If my protein 

source is red meat or 

salmon, which have 

more fat in them, 

I will just have raw veggies like 

green beans or snap peas with it. 

3. Rely on whole foods as much 

as possible 

I don’t ever cut out shakes completely, 

nor do I feel it’s necessary. 

Several pro bodybuilders I speak 

with regularly include shakes all 

the way up to contests, and they 

all get about as shredded as a human 

being can. When it comes to 

bars, I simply don’t trust most of 

them. I will allow myself a Parillo 

“Be smart about what you eat 

and when you eat it.” 

Energy or Protein Chew Bar , or 

the newest delicious addition to 

the bar family, Soft Chew . But by 

and large, I stick to mostly whole 

food. 

4. Ditch gluten 

My wife started looking into eating 

gluten-free a couple years ago, 

since many CrossFit athletes eat 

that way. I pretty much rolled my 

eyes when she started eating gluten-free, 

considering it some New 

Age diet fad. The idea that most 

of us are allergic to 

gluten sounded ridiculous 

to me. How 

was I convinced? 

For years, Janet had 

a little ‘pooch’ on 

her lower abs that 

bulged out even 

when she was very 

lean and had a sixpack. 

I assumed it 

had something to 

do with her having 

our two children, 

and it was there to 

stay. After about 

six weeks of her not 

eating gluten, it was 

gone! Her stomach 

was flat. I decided 

to try it for my last 

contest just to see 

what would happen, 

and my midsection 

was smaller and 

tighter than it had 

been in years. Cutting 

out foods with 

gluten like bread 

(yes, even wholewheat 

has gluten) 

and pasta really did 

make a difference in my waistline, 

plus I had less joint and tendon 

pain. I don’t eat gluten-free all the 

time, and my gut is pretty large in 

the off-season even though I can 

see my abs. Once I cut gluten out 

of my diet, it magically begins to 

start shrinking rapidly. This is one 

10 May 2013 / Performance Press 1-800-344-3404 www.parrillo.com www.parrillo.com 1-800-344-3404 Performance Press / May 2013 

11


the earthy-crunchy 

types got right. 

5. Make adjustments 

as needed 

Some of my responses 

often come across 

as being sarcastic. 

For example, when 

asked how much cardio 

I will be doing, 

my honest reply is ‘as 

much as I need to.’ 

By that I mean that I 

may have a starting 

point such as 30 minutes 

a day, but if or 

when that increases 

depends entirely on 

how my fat-loss and 

muscle maintenance 

is going. If the fat isn’t 

coming off, I will add 

in more cardio. I prefer 

HIIT sessions of 

30 minutes, alternating 

sprints with recovery 

periods, rather 

than longer steadyrate 

sessions. I’m not 

even sure it burns a 

lot more fat, but my 

time is limited and valuable to 

me. I’d rather work very hard on 

cardio for 30 minutes than cruise 

for 45-60. If at some point I see 

that I am losing muscle, I won’t 

hesitate to either increase my calories, 

decrease my cardio, or both. 

You can’t have any one set plan to 

follow for 16 weeks, because you 

don’t know what will happen. You 

must be flexible and prepared to 

make adjustments. 

6. Forget about cheat meals 

“Getting shredded isn’t easy, 

but it’s well worth the effort!” 

At an NPC seminar I recently attended 

in Watertown, MA, 4-time 

Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler fielded a 

question about cheat meals. He 

explained that he doesn’t believe 

in them. Once he is dieting, he 

stays strictly on his diet until the 

contest is over. The only situation 

he feels cheat meals are appropriate 

is when a person is way ahead 

of schedule and much leaner than 

they should be at x amount of 

weeks out. That’s something you 

rarely see. Far more often, bodybuilders 

are either right on track 

Ron 

Harris 

is the 

author of 

or behind. Jay was 

very diplomatic and 

encouraging, saying 

that you can indeed 

stay on a diet for 12- 

16 weeks. I am often 

a little more blunt, 

some would even 

say abrasive. I would 

have added, if you 

can’t stick to a strict 

diet for 12-16 weeks, 

maybe you shouldn’t 

compete! I don’t believe 

in cheat meals 

either. Look, we all 

eat our treats in the 

off-season. I’ve had 

my ice cream, cereal, 

cake, pizza, etc. Now 

I’m ready to eat 100% 

clean and get into the 

best condition of my 

life! 

Those are my 6 main 

rules. You may choose 

to follow some or all 

of them. Whatever 

you do, I wish you the 

very best when it’s 

time for you to shred 

it up! 

Real Bodybuilding, 

available at 

www.ronharrismuscle.com 

12 May 2013 / Performance Press 1-800-344-3404 www.parrillo.com 

www.parrillo.com 1-800-344-3404 Performance Press / May 2013 

13

Before John Parrillo came 

along and insisted on the 

inclusion of cardio exercise 

into the bodybuilding training template, 

bodybuilders shunned and 

“dissed” aerobic exercise. This was 

in the early 1980s when the Jane 

Fonda/Richard Simmons dance 

class foolishness was all the rage. 

Back then the sissies had hijacked 

aerobics, emasculated it and packaged 

it to make a buck. The overwhelming 

majority of bodybuilding 

experts back in the 80s offered 

up the plausible proposition that 

“aerobics tore down muscle.” Well 

let me tell you, that was all any 

self-respecting bodybuilder had to 

hear in order to avoid aerobics altogether. 

If a bodybuilder believed 

that some thing or some activity 

tore muscle down, then that thing 

or activity would be avoided as if 

it were a venomous snake. Why 

dare risk doing any type of aerobic 

activity if it is possible that cardio 

tears down muscle? This ludicrous 

anti-cardio contention was the unchallenged 

conventional wisdom 

of the day. The problem was that 

The Parrillo Principles 

Building 

the Metabolism 

Aerobics + Weight Training + Nutrition 

this settled science, this idea that 

aerobic exercise was detrimental to 

muscle-building and bodybuilding, 

was utterly and completely false. 

John Parrillo came along and said, 

“Whoa! Wait a minute! Let’s take 

Adding cardio to the 

training template ushered 

in the age of the modern 

bodybuilding monster: huge 

men, 260+ pounds of pure 

muscle, sporting 2% 

(contest day) body fat 

percentiles. 

a look at the actual science you 

base your anti-aerobic contentions 

upon.” His heretical viewpoint, that 

cardio was good for bodybuilders 

By Duke Nukem 

and that aerobics offered the next 

bodybuilding breakthrough, got a 

lot of push-back. The entrenched 

bodybuilding authority figures of 

the day didn’t take kindly to being 

contradicted. The elite bodybuilders 

of the day were far more 

open to trying new ideas and new 

training strategies and modes. 

Bodybuilders at the advanced level 

are extremely tolerant of any new 

and potentially promising avenue 

of progress; new ideas are always 

given due consideration and nothing 

is ever dismissed out of hand. 

The tangible physical results that 

Parrillo obtained for his fleet of 

competitive bodybuilders was so 

profound, so obvious and so widespread 

that the word about cardio 

(and how beneficial it was in creating 

a better body) spread rapidly 

within the bodybuilding community. 

Soon elite bodybuilders worldwide 

were performing cardio. Adding 

cardio to the training template 

ushered in the age of the modern 

bodybuilding monster: huge men, 

260+ pounds of pure muscle, sporting 

2% (contest day) body fat percentiles. 

Nowadays many of those 

same experts that dissed cardio 

initially now declare they were for 

cardio all along. 

The first step in building the 

metabolism: Combining bodybuilding 

weight training and bodybuilding 

nutrition with aerobic exercise 

was a match made in heaven. 

What the experts of the day failed 

to grasp, and what the elite bodybuilders 

of the day discovered, 

was that consistent cardio built 

stamina and improved endurance, 

thereby enabling increased 

workload capacities. Improved 

cardio fitness enabled the hardcore 

bodybuilder to train harder, 

longer and more often. Aerobics 

improve internal organ efficiency 

and strengthen the internal 

heart and lung muscles, much 

in the same manner and fashion 

that weight training builds and 

strengthens the body’s external 

muscles. Consistent cardio is 

integral in our quest to build a 

better, leaner, fitter body. 

Perhaps the most esoteric and 

obtuse of all the Parrillo Principles 

is the idea that a raging metabolism 

is a good thing and further, 

that there are certain procedures 

and protocols related to exercise 

and diet that can be manipulated to 

stimulate, to speed up, to amp up 

the basal metabolic rate. Specific 

exercises need to be done in a specific 

way and specific foods need 

to be eaten in specific amounts at 

specific times. Substantive physical 

change occurs quickly for those 

that adhere completely. Within a 

few weeks of rigid and religious 

adherence to these intense exercise 

and strict nutritional protocols, 

the bodybuilder’s metabolism becomes 

elevated. After staying in 

an elevated metabolic state for a 

protracted period, the bodybuilder 

successfully resets (upward) their 

metabolic thermostat. They have 

“built” or increased their metabolism. 

A specific nutritional strategy 

is combined and interwoven with 

an equally specific exercise stratagem. 

This is the classical Parrillo 

To build the metabolism, continually 

spike or jolt the metabolism. Weight 

training, aerobic exercise, and, 

believe it or not, eating certain 

foods jolts the metabolism. 

approach to bodybuilding and is 

natural bodybuilding at its highest 

level. 

Building the Metabolism 

“To build the metabolism continually 

spike or jolt the metabolism.” 

A “built” metabolism is an accelerated 

metabolism and a fast metabolism 

trumps a slow metabolism every 

second of every day. A blazing 

fast metabolism is best exemplified 

by the over-abundance of energy 

exhibited by a hyper-active, ultralean, 

athletic young boy or a lean 

champion athlete. At the other extreme 

you have the slow and sluggish 

metabolism, best exemplified 

by a morbidly obese person, able 

to do little if anything insofar as 

physical activity. Activity and the 

metabolism are forever linked; the 

more extreme the intensity of the 

exercise or activity, the greater the 

metabolic “jolt.” A metabolic jolt is 

something to be sought after. The 

metabolic jolt accelerates the heart 

rate and this sets off a fantastically 

beneficial series of muscular, hormonal 

and central nervous system 

events. To build the metabolism, 

continually spike or jolt 

the metabolism. Weight training 

jolts the metabolism, aerobic 

exercise jolts the metabolism, 

and believe it or not, eating certain 

foods jolts the metabolism. 

All these jolts and spikes, week 

after week, month after month, 

over time, cause the basal metabolic 

burn rate, the bodily idle 

speed, to accelerate and eventually 

to increase permanently. 

The skillful blending of exercise 

and diet are used to build 

the metabolism. Naturally lean 

people have speedy metabolisms 

and we can now replicate 

(artificially) what Nature bestows 

on the metabolically genetically 

endowed. 

Michael Phelps shatters the Myth 

of the Energy Balance Equation: 

The Holy Sacred Cow of mainstream 

medical dietary wisdom is 

based on a concept called the Energy 

Balance Equation. The EBE 

holds that bodyweight control is 

easy: eat fewer calories each day 

than you oxidize (burn) on a daily 

basis and, over time, you will lose 

weight; so simple, so easy to grasp, 

so wrong. Medical doctors that 


15


Building the Metabolism 

work with chronically obese patients 

routinely starve the patients 

and then overwork them. This 

combination stunts the metabolism 

and as soon as the pathetic patient 

reenters the real world they revert 

and regain all the weight they lost 

while in the medical concentration 

camp. Doctors torture their clinically 

obese patients in order to obey 

the erroneous conclusions of the 

EBE. Michael Phelps is the greatest 

swimmer of all-time; he has 

visible six-pack abs and when he 

was competing he walked around 

with an honest 8% body fat percentile. 

Yet, when in deep training, 

Phelps routinely ate 10,000 

to 12,000 calories per day! How 

is it that Phelps could eat so much 

yet stay ripped? How can professional 

bodybuilders routinely eat 

6,000 + calories per day, and like 

Phelps, maintain a sub-10% body 

fat percentile? If the EBE were 

real science, instead of faux science, 

there could be no Phelps 

and no elite bodybuilders. Period. 

There could be no bodybuilders 

building muscle yet staying lean 

while consuming thousands of 

calories in excess of their “caloric 

breakeven point.” In fact, the 

EBE is a consensus and not true 

and factual science. 

Food selection is critical: Certain 

foods cause the metabolism to accelerate 

in order to digest these 

foods – these foods are hard to 

digest; which is a good thing insofar 

as thermic value and insulin 

release. As it happens the two nutrients 

that will cause the metabolism 

to accelerate are lean protein 

and fibrous carbs. When the digestive 

process kicks in to digest these 

hard-to-digest nutrients, body heat 

is generated. The heat generated 

by digesting hard-to-digest food 

is known as the thermic effect of 

food. Other foods are consumed 

and easily partitioned into body 

fat with the greatest of ease. No 

need for any grand metabolic acceleration 

of the digestive system 

for these foods. Consume easy-todigest 

foods and easily create body 

fat. The easy-to-digest foods spike 

insulin through the roof and over 

time clog insulin receptor sites. 

The elite Parrillo bodybuilder has 

Lean protein and fiber carbs 

make up the lion’s share of 

the bodybuilder’s diet, as 

they are hard-to-digest and 

nutritionally potent. 

learned to confine food choices to 

hard-to-digest foods, metabolism 

amping foods, high thermic value 

foods, nutritionally potent foods. 

Lean protein and fiber carbs make 

up the lion’s share of the bodybuilder’s 

diet, as they are hard-to-digest 

and nutritionally potent. 

Jolting the metabolism: 

Eating hard to digest thermic-inducing 

foods every 2-3 waking 

hours spikes the metabolism repeatedly 

over the course of the day: 

six daily meals mean six food-related 

metabolic spikes per day; this 

equates to 42 thermic food jolts per 

week! Now layer on the metabolic 

jolts associated with Parrillo-style 

weight training (hard, heavy and 

often) and the metabolic jolts associated 

with Parrillo-style cardio 

(long, intense and frequent) and 

the bodybuilder’s metabolism is 

receiving 60 + metabolism-spiking 

jolts each and every week, week after 

week. So let’s loop back around 

to our original premise: why do 

aerobics done in the manner and 

fashion John Parrillo prescribes 

deliver superior results? Intense 

Parrillo-style cardio, done 

in close conjunction with a tight 

Parrillo-style diet, burns off body 

fat faster than any natural system 

known to mankind. The reason 

lies in the totality of the approach: 

nutrition and two types of exercise 

are skillfully interwoven. 

One of Parrillo’s most profound 

discoveries was that through a 

skillful combining of tight, multiple-meal 

dieting and intense 

exercise, over time the metabolic 

burn rate of the individual would 

be raised, much as you might 

raise the thermostat on your home 

heat during a snow storm. The elite 

bodybuilder has taught his body to 

expect to be refueled with quality 

food every few hours to continually 

rekindle their blazing metabolism. 

The clean food the bodybuilder eats 

every few hours is akin to dry logs 

being thrown onto a raging bonfire. 

Atop this blazing metabolism 

we layer on ample aerobic exercise 

– and not just any aerobic exercise, 

Parrillo-style intense aerobic exercise, 

and lots of it. Intense cardio 

jolts the metabolism so completely 

that after a huff-and-puff Parrillostyle 

cardio session, the metabolism 

will remain accelerated (to a 

greater and over time a lesser degree) 

for eight hours or more after 

the end of the session. 

Cardio Hallmarks and total adherence: 

There are hallmark characteristics 

associated with a Parrillo-style 

aerobic session. Parrillo 

cardio is very specific and has 

very rigid guidelines and rules… 

• Tremendous intensity: Optimally, 

the Parrillo bodybuilder 

operates just below the oxygen 

debt threshold. The oxygen debt 

threshold is when consumption 

exceeds supply, forcing the 

athlete to stop and recover their 

breath. Intensity also has the side 

benefit of, over time, increasing 

mitochondrial density. Increased 

mitochondrial density makes 

cells more efficient at mobilizing 

and oxidizing fat. 

• Long duration: Parrillo cardio 

sessions will lasts up to sixty minutes 

in length. The way in which 

John accustoms his bodybuilders 

to long and intense sessions is to 

start them off with short and intense 

sessions. Each week add a 

few minutes to each session. Adding 

a mere three minutes per week, 

over ten weeks, adds 30 minutes. 

Establish intensity then increase 

duration, gradually, over a period 

of weeks and months. 

• Frequent weekly sessions: in the 

off-season when the athlete is seeking 

to increase lean muscle mass, 

4-5 sessions per week are recommended. 

For the bodybuilder seeking 

to become as lean as possible, 

6-7 weekly daily sessions 40-60 

minutes in length are recommended. 

In the final weeks leading up 

to a bodybuilding show, or at culmination 

of a lean out cycle, John 

recommends twice a day aerobic 

sessions. One before breakfast 

and the second in the afternoon or 

evening. 

Long Duration 

Cardio Sessions 

Start off with short and intense 

cardio sessions. Each week add a 

few minutes to each session. 

Adding a mere three minutes 

per week, over ten weeks, 

adds 30 minutes. 

Get smart – build YOUR metabolism: 

John Parrillo developed his 

aerobic protocol to specifically 

mesh with the Parrillo nutritional 

system and the Parrillo approach 

to progressive resistance training. 

The final element is supplementation. 

Obviously if you are training 

as hard, long and often as Parrillo 

suggests, recovery and recuperation 

become a serious issue. John 

stated long ago that in almost every 

instance, the inability to recover, 

session to session, can be attributed 

to insufficient clean calories and 

corrected and eliminated by subtly 

and consistently increasing the 

sheer amount of clean calories you 

are consuming. To this end, Cap- 

Tri ® , the powerful and potent MCT 

oil, is invaluable. CapTri ® supplies 

120 ultra-clean calories per tablespoon 

and best of all, because of its 

unique molecular structure, Cap- 

Tri ® calories are impossible to end 

up as body fat. As if that weren’t 

enough, medium-chain triglycerides 

(what CapTri ® is) have been 

shown in studies to spike the metabolism. 

Is this not the perfect 

supplement to use during a metabolism-building 

phase? 

Don’t fudge! Those that adhere 

tightly to the totality of the Parrillo 

bodybuilding program are 

rewarded with stunningly fast 

results: the rub is that all the aspects, 

the lifting, the cardio, the 

nutrition and the supplementation, 

all have to be in place, in 

balance and rigidly practiced 

and simultaneously adhered to. 

Change, alter or eliminate one 

of the four aspects and you are 

no longer practicing the Parrillo 

program. The nexus, the core, 

of the Parrillo approach, is about 

skillfully melding the four different 

aspects in a balanced fashion in 

order to achieve the desired result. 

The desired result is a radically improved 

physique: way more muscle, 

way leaner, way healthier. We 

are seeking dramatic results; nothing 

minor or infinitesimal. Adhere 

completely for 90 days and change 

your physique and change your 

life. The fundamental transformative 

event that ensures continual 

progress and is a prerequisite for 

bodybuilding success is the process 

of building the metabolism. 

Amp your metabolism and reset 

Nature’s imposed limits on you and 

your body. 


17

tips 

RECIPE 

spotlight 

French Potato Salad 

200 g. red potato (1 large) 

50 g. green onion, chopped (greens only) 

1 tbsp. CapTri ® 

1/2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar 

1/2 tsp. sweet basil (dry) 

1/2 tsp. parsley flakes 

salt and pepper to taste 

Pierce the skin of the potato three or four times with 

a fork. Place on a paper towel in microwave. Cook on 

high for 6 minutes (5 for a smaller potato). Let cool 

slightly. Dice into serving dish. Mix dressing. Pour 

over potatoes and let marinate a few hours. Serve at 

room temperature. Serves two. 

Great for a picnic! 

Hip Stretch 

Training Tip 

of the month: 

Start: Sit on the floor with your legs extended out 

in front of you. Bend your right leg and cross it 

over your left leg. Place your elbow as low on your 

leg as you can. 

Stretch: 

Rotate your upper 

body as far to the 

right as you can. 

Turn your shoulders 

around, pushing 

your knee over. 

& tidbits 

Nutritional Information for 100g, raw: 

Calories 73 

Protein 2g 

Fat .01g 

Total Carbs 17.44g 

of the month 

Food 

of the month: 

Jerusalem Artichokes 

• Also known as sunchokes 

• A species of sunflower with an edible root known as a 

tuber that is used as a root vegetable 

• The tubers have a taste similar to an artichoke, but its 

consistency is similar to a water chestnut 

• Can be prepared in ways similar to potatoes, such as 

steaming, mashing, or roasting and they can also be 

eaten raw by slicing thinly for a salad 

Fiber 1.5g 

Calcium 14mg 

Phosphorus 78mg 

Iron 3.40mg 

Sodium 4mg 

Potassium 429mg 

Vitamin A 20 IU 

Try this great recipe idea using Jerusalem Artichokes: 

• Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes: Cut tubers into even 

wedges (they can be peeled or left with skins on,) place 

on a baking sheet and drizzle with oil, tossing to coat. 

Roast for 30 min. at 400°, until soft and browned. Season 

with chopped chives, No Salt and pepper. 

nutrition Tip 

of the month: 

To boost your gains through the roof, 

50/50 Plus is an excellent supplement to 

use in combination with creatine. 50/50 Plus is made 

from about equal amounts of protein and carbohydrate. 

The protein portion is very much like our Hi- 

Protein Powder and the carbohydrate part is derived 

from Pro-Carb. Studies have shown that a combination 

of protein and carbohydrate like this works better 

at promoting muscular growth than either one alone. 

Combining creatine with 50/50 Plus is, quite frankly, 

the most potent nutritional supplement available for 

supporting muscle growth. The amino acid profile of 

the protein is ideal for supporting muscular growth, 

and the carbohydrate replenishes glycogen, further 

enhancing energy levels and strength. The best time 

to use this combination is after training. After just one 

month, used in combination with proper diet, you will 

News & Discoveries 

In Fitness & Nutrition 

The Stealth Sodium Revolution 

Researchers with the U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) 

and Health and Human Services have teamed up for HHS’s 

sodium surveillance efforts. The National Institute of Medicine, 

part of the National Academies, is also involved and 

has called on the Food and Drug Administration to set mandatory 

national standards for the sodium content in foods. 

Sodium has become one of a handful of sensitive nutrients 

in the public spotlight, according to major food company 

executives who attended the 2011 National Nutrient Databank 

Conference in Bethesda, Md. The conference is supported 

annually by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) 

Nutrient Data Laboratory and the agency’s Food Surveys 

Research Group, as well as other organizations. At the conference, 

three major food companies described long-term 

“silent” sodium-reduction plans. One company reported already 

having removed 2 million pounds of salt from retail 

food brands in less than 10 years. Another announced plans 

to reduce sodium in prepared foods by 10 percent before 

2015. All of the food companies talked about the need to 

give consumers time to “adapt their taste buds” to less salt 

in their retail foods. 

Nutrient Data Laboratory researchers developed a plan to 

monitor the levels of sodium in foods, particularly the processed 

foods and ingredients that contribute up to 80 percent 

of our population’s added-sodium intake, as assessed 

in the USDA-ARS national “What We Eat in America” survey. 

Foods that rank highest in sodium are being monitored 

by chemical analysis. Having such accurate data on sodium 

in the foods processed by manufacturers, restaurants, and 

foodservice firms supports efforts to monitor and assess sodium 

intakes in the U.S. population, according to experts. 

- Rosalie Marion Bliss, March 5,2012, Agricultural Research Service 

Interesting 

Article Fact: 

Without enough protein, you cannot build muscle, 

repair its breakdown after training, or drive your metabolism. 

Read more in John’s article on page 20. 

Dominique’s 

Time Cruncher 

Question 

of the month: 

Quick Tip 

of the month: 

Balance yourself 

Try our newest Parrillo product, the High Protein High Fiber 

Need to clean out the inside of your microwave but those 

with your hands. 

Soft Chew Bar! It has a delicious soft and chewy texture 

cooked-on splatters just aren’t budging? Just boil a cup that is a great portable snack when you’re on the go or use 

Hold for ten seconds, then release. Repeat the 

of water in there for a few minutes, then let the cup sit it to satisfy your sweet tooth. Also available in Chocolate, 

stretch with your left leg. 

for a couple more minutes as the steam will loosen the Pecan Praline, and Peanut Butter flavors. Which flavor will 

splatters and make them much easier to clean! 

18 May 2013 / Performance Press 

see and 

1-800-344-3404 

feel a difference. 

be your favorite? 

www.parrillo.com www.parrillo.com 1-800-344-3404 Performance Press / May 2013 

19 

18 

19 

? 

Question: Should I be taking Liver Amino Formula 

regularly? What will it do for me? 

Answer: Liver Amino Formula is a very effective 

supplement. It’s much more than just a protein supplement, 

it’s a first-line supplement for many athletes. 

In addition to providing a very high quality protein 

source, Liver Amino Formula also includes heme iron 

and B vitamins, including a rich source of B-12. Most 

iron supplements are very poorly absorbed. “Heme 

iron” is iron combined with a chemical group called 

“heme,” for which hemoglobin is named. Hemoglobin 

is the protein molecule inside red blood cells that 

binds oxygen, transporting it to tissues. Heme iron is 

absorbed much more efficiently than non-heme iron, 

and works much better to build red blood cells. This 

enhances oxygen transport, greatly facilitating endurance, 

growth and recovery. Many people who take 

our Liver Amino Formula are amazed at the increase 

in energy level they have. Increased energy leads to 

longer, harder, more intense, and more productive 

workouts. 

Need to find out if the eggs in your refrigerator are 

fresh? Try the sink or float test! Put cold water in a 

deep bowl of water, add the eggs gently and the ones 

that sink to the bottom of the bowl are fresh and the 

eggs that float are not. Another tip for eggs: To see if 

an egg is hard cooked or not, spin it on your counter. 

If the egg wobbles, it’s an uncooked egg, but if it 

spins smoothly, it’s a hard cooked egg. 

Supplement 

of the month: 

Toffee Flavor High Protein 

High Fiber Soft Chew Bar 

NEW! 

• Only 3 grams of Net Carbs and less than one gram of 

sugar per bar 

• Packed with 21 grams of protein and 16 grams of fiber 

• Contains only 130 calories per Soft Chew Bar


SUPPLEMENTS OF MASS CONSTRUCTION 

If your goal is to pack on mass, 

you can’t just take supplements. 

You have to follow a clean nutrition 

program that increases 

good calories and train with intensity. 

In my work with the best bodybuilders 

and athletes in the world, 

I’ve identified which foods yield the 

best results in terms of mass gaining. 

Lean protein, for example, supplies 

amino acids which are required for 

every metabolic process. Athletes 

have higher requirements for protein 

than the average person. Without 

enough protein, you cannot build 

muscle, repair its breakdown after 

training, or drive your metabolism. 

Starchy and fibrous carbohydrates 

supply energy and are stored as glycogen 

in the muscles and liver. 

Once you’re eating right, then you 

can add supplements, which will increase 

the nutrient density of your 

food. And once you’ve built a solid 

foundation of good food and hard 

training, the six types of supplements 

I discuss here will give you the extra 

oomph for putting on mass. 

Creatine Monohydrate 

Creatine has been the subject of more 

than 500 research studies in the past 

10 years, focusing primarily on muscle 

performance and size both in athletes 

and in individuals with neuromuscular 

diseases. Creatine is a key 

nutrient in muscle energy production, 

and it also appears to increase 

muscle size. 

What can you expect from creatine? 

Typically, hard-training bodybuilders 

can expect an increase of 4 to 14 

pounds of lean mass during the first 

month of use. The more muscle mass 

you have, the more creatine you can 

assimilate leading to greater weight 

gains. We’ve seen athletes experience 

a 5 to 15 percent increase in 

strength on their maximum lifts and 

an increase of about 2 reps per set 

with their working weight during the 

first month. This increase in intensity 

allows you to put a greater load 

on the muscle, which will indeed 

increase your gains in muscle mass 

over time. 

The way to use creatine is to start 

with a loading phase, which usually 

is 20 grams a day for five to seven 

days. To do this, take five grams (one 

teaspoon) four times a day, for five 

to seven days. This is followed by 

the maintenance phase, which is five 

to ten grams a day. After only one 

month, you should see a noticeable 

increase in size and strength. Parrillo 

Creatine Monohydrate is the 

highest purity creatine supplement 

available. And a word of caution: 

don’t be fooled into buying creatine 

phosphate supplements; this form of 

creatine phosphate is not absorbed 

from the intestines. 

Protein Powders 

Our protein supplements give you a 

variety of protein types, from whey 

to casein. Whey, in particular, is one 

of the highest quality proteins found 

in protein supplements. It is a component 

of milk that is separated to 

make cheese and other dairy products. 

Whey is among the most rapidly 

digested of all supplemental proteins. 

What this means to you is that 

the amino acids in whey are rapidly 

absorbed so that the processes of repair 

and growth can be accelerated. 

In addition, whey is loaded with various 

health-building nutrients, including 

B-complex vitamins, selenium, 

calcium, and iodine. 

A mass-gaining benefit of whey 

protein is its potential to stimulate 

IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1) 

production. IGF-1 is structurally and 

functionally similar to insulin. It enhances 

protein synthesis and increases 

muscle growth. Whey protein is 

found in the following products: Optimized 

Whey Protein , Hi-Protein 

Powder , 50/50 Plus Powder , Parrillo 

Sports Nutrition Bars , Parrillo 

Protein Bars , and Parrillo Energy 

Bars . 

Casein is digested very slowly. It 

helps prevent muscle breakdown 

better than whey. Because muscle 

growth is a balance between protein 

buildup and protein breakdown, increasing 

the former and decreasing 

the latter can help you pack on muscle. 

Thus casein was recommended as 

a good protein to take between meals 

and before bed. Among the products 

containing casein are our Hi-Protein 

Powders and Pro-Carb . Our suggested 

usage is one or more servings 

(2 scoops mixed with 8 ounces or 

¼ liter of water or beverage) taken 

as needed with or between meals, 

and taken before, during, and after 

workouts. 

CapTri ® 

Researchers in Spain found that 

dietary manipulation with special 

lipids, like CapTri ® , can cause 

more than a 900 percent increase 

in growth hormone levels – a peak 

that is reached two hours after ingestion 

and is maintained for over three 

hours. 

Just think: If you’re eating every two 

or three hours like you should be on 

the Parrillo Nutrition Program and 

supplementing with CapTri ® , you 

can keep your growth hormone levels 

naturally elevated each day. So 

that’s why CapTri ® , a powerful medium 

chain triglyceride oil formulated 

by Parrillo Performance, works so 

well when used in conjunction with 

proper nutrition. A great way to use 

this supplement is to put a tablespoon 

or two of CapTri ® in your whey protein 

powder shake, along with some 

creatine. 

GH Releasers 

If your priorities include not only 

muscle growth, but joint health, and 

immunity too, be sure to include Enhanced 

GH Formula in your supplement 

regimen. The nutrients in this 

supplement are shown to enhance 

GH release. 

Those nutrients are arginine pyroglutamate 

and lysine monohydrochloride, 

two potent amino acids. 

When isolated and grouped together 

and taken on a regular basis, they 

have been shown to promote the 

secretion of growth hormone in the 

body. Growth hormone is the mightiest 

of all hormonal secretions as it 

increases mass and decreases body 

fat simultaneously, and aids in joint 

repair! 

Arginine has a number of other important 

functions in the body, including 

the fortification of the immune 

system. In studies with animals and 

humans, arginine has been found 

to improve wound healing and bolster 

immune responses, plus reduce 

the incidence of infection following 

surgery. 

Arginine has other duties, as well. 

It is required to manufacture creatine, 

an important chemical in the 

muscles that provides the energy for 

contractions. In addition, arginine 

apparently helps prevent the body 

from breaking down protein in muscles 

and organs to repair itself when 

injured. Meat, poultry, and fish are 

good sources of arginine. 

As for lysine, it plays several roles in 

the body, including the regulation of 

nitrogen balance and the absorption 

of calcium. Lysine is also important 

in the formation of collagen. Research 

suggests that lysine may help 

regulate blood pressure and reduce 

cholesterol levels. When coupled 

with arginine, it helps stimulate GH 

release. 

Take two or three capsules on an 

empty stomach in the morning, before 

training and in the evening 

before bed. As mentioned earlier, 

MCTs, like CapTri ® , can also be a 

potent stimulus for GH release. 

You can also optimize GH release 

through nutrition. A diet higher in 

protein, like the Parrillo Nutrition 

Program, seems to promote GH release. 

Another piece of advice is to 

not eat for two hours before a workout. 

Exercise seems to result in more 

GH release if performed on an empty 

stomach. What you should do just 

depends on your goals. If your goal 

is to be as strong as possible in the 

gym, lifting the heaviest weight you 

can, some Pro-Carb and CapTri ® an 

hour beforehand will give you more 

energy and help you be stronger. But 

if your goal is to train for maximal 

GH release, you should probably wait 

for two hours before you train. 

Vitamins and Minerals 

Vitamins C and E are strong antioxidants 

that battle free radicals. What 

does that have to do with putting on 

mass? Well, both antioxidants help 

keep your body in an anabolic state 

by fighting the tissue inflammation 

that comes with intense training. 

Taking vitamin C after a workout 

has been shown to lower cortisol levels 

(cortisol drives belly fat). Supplementing 

with vitamin E helps protect 

muscles for more optimal recovery 

and growth. Vitamin E can also help 

muscles take up glucose from the 

bloodstream to maximize glycogen 

storage. Take one or more tablets 

daily of our Bio-C , preferably with 

meals. As for our Natural Vitamin E 

Plus , take one tablet a day. 

You need the mineral potassium for 

muscle contractions, and to some 

extent, muscle energy. This mineral 

plays a major role in helping to store 

carbohydrates as muscle glycogen 

and influences protein metabolism. 

Taking potassium prior to training 

may also give you a good muscle 

pump because it helps with water 

balance. Potassium is one of the 

minerals in our Mineral Electrolyte 

Formula . Take one tablet with each 

meal. 

Try these additions and let me know 

what kind of results you get. You 

might see a remarkable transformation 

in a relatively short time. Using 

Parrillo Performance principles, real 

people get real results real fast! 


21

Parrillo 

Spotlight: 

Jill Smith 

Here’s a look at Jill’s hard-won journey to 

the physique stage. Jill’s Parrillo-Certified 

trainer (and now husband) Brent 

Smith helped her achieve her goal of competing 

by showing her the way with intense training 

and Parrillo-style nutrition. Jill trained hard, 

followed her strict diet and stepped out of her 

comfort zone into the spotlight! 

My Timeline to Competing 

• February 2011: Came to Edge Fitness in Southaven, 

Mississippi looking for something, looking for 

a change but not sure what or how. 

• Met Brent Smith who started 

me out on a routine circuit 

and a diet plan. 

• Throughout the rest of the 

year, followed a couple more 

circuit programs Brent made 

for me, started feeling better 

about myself but wanted more 

help and motivation. 

• June 2011: Started personal 

training sessions with Brent, 

who had become one of my best 

friends. He kept me motivated 

even on the hard days when all I 

wanted to do was go home and 

lay in the bed. 

• I got to know others at the 

gym who competed and it all 

was very intriguing to me, I 

never thought in a million years 

I could get in good enough 

shape to stand up on stage in 

a bikini and actually place in a 

competition. 

• October 2011: I attended my first competition with 

Brent and some other friends from the gym, this 

Photos by Mark Mason 

Jill onstage at the 2012 NPC Southern Classic, 

where she won 4th place and nationally qualified. 

Jill and Brent Smith 

Jill’s Before Photo 

was my first look of what all went on in 

the bodybuilding world. All I could think 

was I wanted to be one of those girls, but 

there’s no way I could ever get in that 

good of shape. 

• November 2011: I told Brent I wanted 

to train like I was going to compete. He 

told me “if you are going to train like you 

are going to compete, you might as well 

compete”. He told me it was going to take 

dedication and it wasn’t going to be easy, 

but I had what it took, if I wanted to do 

it. I started doing 2 hours of cardio a day, 

along with a baseline diet Brent had created 

for me, which included whole foods 

and only Parrillo supplements along with 

an hour of strength training with Brent. 

• March 2012: I competed in my first show 

in Hattiesburg, MS, The Pine Belt Showdown. 

I am a very introverted person, so 

this was completely out of my comfort 

zone and I loved every minute of it. As 

nervous as I was, I received fifth place!! 

• June 2012: I competed in the show I had 

been training for, The Southern Classic. By 

Photo by Mark Mason 

this point I had gone from 38% body fat to 

9%. I had never felt so good about myself 

or in such good shape in my life. I received 

4 th place and nationally qualified. 

Brent “the Kid” Smith studied under John 

Parrillo and signed with Parrillo Performance 

when he won the National Teenage 

Title in Bodybuilding in 2001. Brent 

consulted with John throughout my entire 

training process on my diet and training 

programs. I even had the honor of meeting 

John when we came up for The Northern 

Kentucky Classic last year. I would 

never use any other products but Parrillo 

Products. 

I forgot to mention, somewhere along the 

way, I realized I had met my soul mate and 

love of my life and Brent and I are now 

married. I have never had anyone support 

me and encourage me like he does. He’s 

been there through the good times and 

the bad. Being John’s protégé, he is considered 

one of the top personal trainers in 

this area. I feel so honored and blessed to 

be his wife! 


23


IRON VIC SPEAKS By IRON VIC STEELE 

Bench press technique query…Net Fiber?... 

Ab work limits…Layoffs and obsessive-compulsive 

psycho fiancés…Big Guns quick 

Greetings Mr. Big Boss Man! 

I am a big fan. It is fantastic to hear 

straight talk from someone that’s 

actually done it instead of being led 

around by the nose by some armchair 

expert that’s never done jack 

squat! So let’s get technical: what is 

your take on bench press technique 

– do you advocate elbows flared or 

elbows tucked during the lowering? 

How about on the push phase? Do 

you push the barbell straight up 

(the shortest distance between two 

points) or do you purposefully arc 

backward, to ease the tricep strain 

at the top? Where is the best ‘touch 

point’ on the chest? I am a 350- 

pound, very strict, raw bencher. I 

am looking to get to four plates – 405 

– in the near future. I am 5’5 and 

weigh 195. I am a thick boy looking 

to get thicker. I will push up to 205 

pounds bodyweight in my quest for 

a 4-plate bench press! 

Beau, from parts unknown 

A really good bunch of questions 

from an unapologetic hardcore dude 

looking to get even more hardcore! 

God bless you and your dying breed 

Sir! When I was coming up we were 

scientifically ignorant, yet we inadvertently 

stumbled onto a very profound 

strength strategy: to get stronger 

grow more muscle – never forget 

that additional muscle always begets 

additional strength. We combined intense 

power weight training with lots 

and lots of calories. We grew lots of 

muscle – the problem was a lot of us 

(not all) also added an unacceptable 

amount of body fat during the massbuilding 

process. While performing 

all that super hardcore fanatical 

weight training, we used to eat 

everything in sight. We lifted heavy, 

lifted hard and often, we ate lots of 

calories and as it turns out, we had it 

half right. John Parrillo figured out 

the other half of the muscle and leanness 

equation. John was a nationallevel 

181 pound powerlifter and his 

association with powerlifting shaped 

his training and his nutritional philosophy. 

He learned firsthand the 

importance of calories in relation to 

muscle-building. 

Parrillo took the basic powerlifting 

approach – lift big, eat big – and 

refined it to lift, big, eat big but eat 

clean. “Hey! Let’s continue to fire 

down lots and lots of calories to “support” 

our intense lifting – however 

let’s clean up our food selections and 

let’s augment a multiple-meal high 

calorie/clean calorie dietary plan 

with a bunch of powerful nutritional 

supplements. Thus, the Parrillo nutritional 

game plan was born and could 

be said to have its roots in powerlifting. 

I brought all this up because for 

you to add 50 pounds to your bench 

press you are going to have to add 10 

pounds of lean, upper body muscle 

mass. In order to push more you are 

going to need more muscle horsepower. 

So the first order of business 

is to embark on a Parrillo massbuilding 

nutritional phase to be used 

in conjunction with your 405 bench 

press quest…check this out… 

As far as bench press techniques go, 

there are all-time great bench pressers 

like Rick Weil (a guy that bench 

pressed 551 weighing 180 raw) that 

flared his elbows while lowering the 

Bench press sets 

and reps 

Bodyweight at end of 

training week… 

Week 1 315x5 for three sets 196 




Week 5 355x3 for four sets 200 



Week 8 385x2 for two sets 203 

Week 9 395x2 for two sets 204 

Week 10 405x1 205 

bar and kept his elbows flared as 

he pushed all those world records, 

straight up. There are other immortal 

bench pressers like James “Hollywood” 

Henderson (715 raw bench 

press) that tuck their elbows on the 

descent and arc the bar backward as 

they push upward. The touch point, 

regardless the elbows’ positioning, 

should be the high point on the chest. 

All the best in all your future hardcore 

efforts! 

Hello Vic! 

What does the “net carb” thing mean 

on the new Parrillo Soft Chew Bar ? 

BTW I love these new bars, they got 

the taste and they got the soft texture. 

With 22 grams of protein per 

bar, these things are power-packed. 

What is phenomenal in that the bar 

only contains 130 calories. I am ignorant 

about the net carb thing. 

Rocco, Boca 

On the side of my box of Pecan Praline 

Flavor Soft Chew Bars it says, 

“Net carbs (per bar) = 3. Net Carb 

Calculation: each bar contains 20 

grams of carbohydrate; however, 

subtract 17 fiber carb grams from the 

20 total carbs, as fiber has minimal 

impact on blood sugar.” All this and 

each Soft Chew Bar only has less 

than one gram of sugar, a total of 130 

calories, and no high fructose corn 

syrup. Plus the taste is incredible; as 

I mentioned last month, the pecan 

praline-flavored bar is the best tasting 

sports nutrition bar I have ever 

had. These statistics make the Soft 

Chew the ideal taste treat for the 

hard dieter (low cal/high protein) or 

someone trying to overcome a sweet 

tooth (sweet taste/no sugar) or sugar 

addiction. I eat these suckers two at 

a time; two bars contain only 260 

calories between them, packing 44 

grams of protein and 34 fiber grams. 

You can tell I love this product. 

Hello Vic! 

I am wondering how much abdominal 

work I need to do each week. I 

see where back in Arnold’s day, guys 

like Frank Zane, Zabo “Abs” Kowolski 

and Danny Padilla used to do 

500 to 1000 Roman Chair sit-ups to 

start off every workout! Hell, I might 

work abs a couple times a week for 

15 minutes tops – am I missing out 

on something? Should I be doing 

more ab work? 

Jimmy J, Tampa 

I wouldn’t. Remember, way back 

when it was thought that ab work 

“brought out” the abs. Nowadays it 

seems a silly notion, but back then it 

was thought that somehow doing lots 

of ab work was critical in obtaining 

good abdominals; as if somehow the 

abs were going to poke through the 

fat, or that the ab work melted the 

fat off the abs themselves. We now 

know that spot reducing, the idea that 

if you work the hell out of a certain 

muscle, the fat surrounding or on top 

of that muscle will disappear – this is 

known as “spot reducing” and it is a 

complete myth. As we now know the 

skillful blending of diet and exercise 

are the main contributors to reducing 

body fat thereby exposing abs heretofore 

hidden beneath body fat. We 

ALL have ripped abs underneath our 

stomach fat, and were we magically 

able to instantaneously melt away all 

the fat atop our abs, we would have 

every bit as intricate and defined a 

waistline – on an untrained person 

– as a bodybuilder that performed 

1000 reps of the gruesome Roman 

Chair sit-up every day. If both the 

bodybuilder and the untrained person 

both had 7% body fat percentiles 

the bodybuilder would not have 

one scintilla more of muscle clarity 

or visibility. My advice is if your abs 

are subpar, double-down on your nutrition 

instead of doubling-up on the 

ab exercise. 

Vic, 

Do you believe in layoffs? My finance 

is such a freaking fanatic that 


25


she wants to pack cans of tuna in our 

luggage for our honeymoon in Rome 

because she “doesn’t want to be 

tempted by the food.” She competes 

and trains all the time. I am thinking 

she has an obsessive-compulsive 

disorder and I am having second 

thoughts. I tried to reason with her 

and convince her to forget about her 

damn body obsession for eight short 

days. She is having none of it – it 

ain’t open for debate: she is packing 

her tuna and I guess going to open 

a can and eat it while I am having 

a gourmet meal in some of the finest 

restaurants in the world – btw 

– I am no fat slob trying to pull the 

bodybuilding princess down into the 

mud – I compete in local and regional 

competitions and do pretty damn 

good. Anyway, I want her to use the 

trip as a layoff and her retort is, “I 

don’t take lay-offs!” Am I marrying 

a psycho?! 

Ross the Boss, East Saint Louis 

Smoking hot body, probably incredible 

in bed, I feel your pain and confusion 

Ross the Boss…but I personally 

would think long and hard about 

permanent hook-up with someone so 

strident, so uncompromising and, I 

gotta say, she sounds kinda mean…I 

think lay-offs are essential for exactly 

the reasons you so succinctly 

elucidate on. Train like a freaking 

maniac leading up to a vacation or 

trip or honeymoon; diet down hard 

leading up to the trip. Then on the 

actual trip, kick back and enjoy, eat 

and drink while on the vacation; the 

sudden influx of strange new calories 

will create an anabolic burst – you 

don’t even have to train. All the hard 

training and strict dieting done leading 

up to the vacation creates the prerequisites 

for igniting the burst. Cut 

the starch carbs down to zero in the 

final weeks and days leading up to 

the vacation: while on vacation rest 

up, eat and drink what you like when 

you like; this will swell your glycogen-starved 

muscles to unimaginable 

new proportions – almost as if by 

magic, depleted muscles fed copious 

calories creates a completely anabolic 

environment. The depleted and 

carb-starved muscles actually “forget” 

how to partition excess calories 

into fat stores for a gloriously short 

period of time. The trick is ending 

the indiscriminate consumption of 

random calories before the body “relearns” 

how to create stored body fat 

again. Get back on the diet bandwagon 

as soon as you return home. Then 

Packing 

tuna for 

a trip to 

Rome? 

No way! 

chisel and refine these newfound 

swollen muscles. She needs to relax 

and enjoy and chill out. She would 

stress me out. 

Mr. Victor, 

Is it possible to increase your arms 

2-inches in a year? How would you 

go about that? I am 19 years old and 

have been training for a couple of 

years. My arms suck. They are fourteen 

inches. I am 5-7 and weigh 145. 

I need some guns! 

Jasper, Idaho 

You need to gain some bodyweight 

Son. You need to add 20 pounds 

if you want to realize your dream 

of building a pair of 16 inch guns. 

You need to eat a lot – at your age 

and with your blazing-fast metabolism, 

and you being on an extremely 

limited budget, I would say to you, 

drink milk. Milk is a cheap and convenient 

source of protein and calories 

for a youngster with a blazing 

metabolism. Eat lots of meat and potatoes; 

not so much desserts; no sodas 

please…Get serious and start on 

a MAN’S weight training program: 

squats and benches, deadlifts and 

rows, chins and cleans, lots of shoulder 

and arm work. Eat and grow. If 

you add a pound of bodyweight per 

week in less than six months you 

could have the guns you seek. Try 

this twice weekly bicep/tricep arm 

specialization routine… 

Day One 

• Standing barbell curl with slight 

layback 

• Narrow grip tricep bench press 

• Seated steep angle incline curl 

• Tricep pushdown 

These four exercises are done one 

after the other, in non-stop fashion; 

this is called a four-exercise giant 

set. After concluding four exercises 

in a row, rest, repeat with heavier 

poundage. Rest repeat a third and 

final time, increasing the poundage 

yet again on the third giant set. 

Three days later, return and perform 

this arm routine… 

Day Two 

• Seated strict dumbbell curl 

• Seated overhead single dumbbell 

tricep extension 

• Preacher bench curl 

• Reverse grip tricep pushdown 

Same procedures…four exercises 

done non-stop, rest, repeat twice 

more. John Parrillo, who is an absolute 

master of biceps and bicep training, 

used a very similar routine to 

build his arms to 19 + inches weighing 

a mere 180 pounds. Be steadfast: 

eat, be athletic, weight train like an 

animal, hit the arms twice a week 

and look to add a pound of bodyweight 

each successive week. Be 

consistent. 

26 May 2013 / Performance Press 1-800-344-3404 www.parrillo.com 

www.parrillo.com 1-800-344-3404 Performance Press / May 2013 

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