Carey Jonas - Parrillo Performance

Carey Jonas 

Making up for lost time: 

Lifelong athlete finds competitive 

bodybuilding later in life 

Photo by Mark Mason 

Carey Jonas is a successful individual who late in life 

decided to become a competitive bodybuilder. Carey 

is a business and technology consultant, currently 

supporting Microsoft. He has an MBA from Duke 

University and two Bachelors of Science (Computer Science 

and Math) from Washington State University. He is a smart 

guy who has always been athletic and always pursed serious 

athletic activities. He works in a cutting-edge environment 

and has to put in the long hours and has to deal with all 

the high pressure stresses that go with working in the most 

highly competitive of all industries: hi-tech. A strange sequence 

of events ended with Carey Jonas walking onstage at 

the Emerald Classic, the biggest bodybuilding competition 

in the Pacific Northwest, to receive his first place award for 

having the best body in the (over 40 years of age) Master’s 

division. Mr. Jonas had successfully morphed from Clark 

Kent into Superman. 

And he did so under the tutelage of a female bodybuilding 

goddess, (and longtime Parrillo user) Colleen Fisher. While 

standing onstage and being presented with his trophies, he 

must have marveled at what a long, strange trip it had been; 

not only did Carey capture his age-division, in the finale 

pose-down with the other age-group Master division winners, 

Carey out-posed them and was declared the overall 

Master’s champion. All this from a guy that got into bodybuilding 

on a whim; Carey’s rate of bodybuilding progress 

was astounding. He engineered a complete physical transformation 

in his first year of bodybuilding and within four 

years he was winning top regional competitions. All this 

commenced for him at the relatively advanced age of 39. 

Carey came into bodybuilding as a lifelong athlete; he had 

weight trained, on and off, for decades. “I have worked out 

with weights and stayed physically active all of my life. I 

go to the gym; I stay in shape to support all the various 

outdoor activities and sports I participate in and have 

always enjoyed.” 

“For many years the weight workouts and formal gym workouts 

had become sporadic and sparse and when I trained I 


Carey Jonas onstage at the 2012 Emerald Cup 

October 2012 / Performance Press 1-800-344-3404 www.parrillo.com www.parrillo.com 1-800-344-3404 Performance Press / October 2012

JOHN PARRILLO’S PERFORMANCE PRESS 


“After hitting my 39th birthday, I felt I was at 

a crossroad in life. I decided to commit 

to some serious training.” 

was really just going through the motions 

instead of actually training and 

actually making progress.” Four years 

ago Carey decided to get serious about 

his fitness efforts. “After hitting my 

39th birthday, I felt I was at a crossroad 

in life. I decided to commit to some 

serious training. My original plan 

was to build strength before launching 

into a triathlon training program. 

Then for some strange reason, I decided 

to switch from triathlon to bodybuilding.” 

Carey, by nature, was more 

of a triathlon type guy than a bodybuilder 

type guy; yet a strange thing 

occurred: while he was training for a 

triathlon, Carey was seduced by bodybuilding. 

“I just took to it (bodybuilding.) 

The more I trained and the more I 

ate, the more muscle I built. The more 

muscle I built, the leaner I became. 

Before committing to bodybuilding, 

I had talked with the top trainers and 

the successful trainees at the commercial 

training facility I work out at. I 

talked to those with great bodies and 

it became clear from our conversations 

that my biggest problem was that 

I was starving myself. My body had 

nowhere near enough 

food/fuel needed to 

heal, repair and grow 

muscle.” 

Carey was eating two 

meals per day. “When 

I committed to bodybuilding, 

I got in line 

with (what I would 

later determine were) 

Parrillo nutritional 

strategies: I increased 

the number of meals I 

ate per day. I jumped 

from two food meals 

per day to nowadays 

where I will take in 

calories of some type 

eleven times per day. 

I increased the number 

of my weight 

workouts from twice 

a week to five times per week.” As a 

result, Carey underwent a dramatic 

physical change. As a result of instituting 

this comprehensive new approach, 

combined with his new attitude and 

his increased degree of commitment, 

Carey was able to increase his training 

poundage or squeeze out more 

reps in most every workout. This 

equated to muscle growth. His cardio 

improved with each session and the 

“quality” of his aerobic workouts improved 

dramatically. This equated to 

fat loss. His intense training was now 

“supported” by the fact that he had 

nearly doubled the amount of calories 

he was consuming. The combination 

of weight training, cardio and Parrillo-style 

nutrition equated to progress. 

“I guess my body was ready for bodybuilding: 

the changes in my physique 

seemed immediate.” The gains came 

fast once he locked down the triumvirate: 

intense cardio, intense weight 

training underpinned by precision 

nutrition. 

Carey Jonas 3 years ago, about 1 year 

into a committed training program 

Carey’s triathlon dreams transformed 

into his bodybuilding dreams; his 

athletic mode and goals underwent 

a 180-degree readjustment. Mr. Jonas 

suddenly decided to muscle-up 

and compete in a bodybuilding show. 

No more prepping for a triathlon. “In 

2008 my goal shifted from triathlon 

to bodybuilding. Actually, part of the 

reason I was late in coming to bodybuilding 

is that there hasn’t been a 

bodybuilding element at my gym (especially 

not male bodybuilders) in recent 

years. I didn’t have anyone in my 

orbit to spark the idea or inspire me 

into this sport. As I evolved, I looked 

to outside sources, like Parrillo Performance 

Press, as my inspiration. I 

practiced observation, and was always 

learning.” Carey had some initial apprehensions. 

“I just didn’t know if I 

had the genetics or the psychology required 

to be a successful competitive 

bodybuilder, even at the local level. 

As I trained using these new tactics, 

I began seeing excellent physical results. 

I decided to commit to bodybuilding. 

I wanted to see if I could 

take my physique to new levels.” 

At the beginning of his bodybuilding 

odyssey, his initial bodybuilding 

goal was modest: he wanted to create 

a physique good enough so as to not 

embarrass him when he competed in 

local bodybuilding competitions. “I 

would have been satisfied with just 

competing and not looking ridiculous 

in comparison to the other 

bodybuilders. That my efforts 

are being rewarded with wins 

is beyond my wildest imaginings.” 

Carey is from the Seattle 

region, a hotbed of bodybuilding 

with very high local standards. “I 

had begun to follow the Emerald 

Cup; the premiere bodybuilding 

competition in the greater Northwest. 

I set out to see if I could elevate 

my physique to a level that 

would allow me to compete at the 

Emerald Cup. That was my initial 

motivator.” 

Progress came quickly and soon 

folks at the gym were noticing 

just how good Carey was looking. 

“People were encouraging me to 

enter a competition. They would 

tell me, ‘Just do it!’ mimicking 

the Nike commercial. I began to 

experiment with body fat reduction; 

I would lose fat slowly, so 

as to not lose muscle in the process. I 

got good results but wanted more. So 

I sought out some professional help.” 

In 2012, Carey crossed paths with 

Pacific Northwest iconic bodybuilding 

goddess (and many time 

Parrillo cover-gal) Colleen 

Fisher. Being a smart man, 

Carey sought Colleen’s 

guidance. “I sought her advice. 

Colleen’s level of expertise 

is phenomenal: she 

had been a national level 

competitor for decades and 

a national bodybuilding 

champion. She is a physique 

judge and a super successful 

personal trainer. I sought 

her judgments and advice 

about what I was doing and 

how I was going about it. 

Her observations were a reality 

check for me and my 

methods.” 

Colleen had some initial apprehension 

about the pace Carey wanted 

to work at. Carey recalled. “I spoke 

with her in an initial conversation a 

few months before the Emerald Cup 

in 2012. I asked her if she thought her 

methods could enable me to compete 

in the Emerald Cup. Colleen looked 

me over and said ‘Absolutely I can 

help you get ready to compete in an 

Emerald Cup.’ Sensing that we were 

not quite on the same page, I clarified 

‘I mean: can you help me prepare for 

the Emerald Cup – the one coming up 

in three months?’ Colleen’s eyes got 

big and she blurted out, and I quote 

word for word, ‘Oh God NO!’ She 

immediately laughed at her own faux 

pas. We really just laugh about it. I 

took her reaction as an even bigger 

challenge, which made me more determined. 

And she saw my determination 

and decided it could work. Neither 

of us is inclined to shy away from 

a challenge.” The duo began working 

together and Carey Jonas actualized 

or surpassed all his bodybuilding 

dreams and aspirations. 

“Two months later I entered the 2012 

Emerald Cup and won the Master’s 

(over 40 years of age) heavyweight 

Carey at the gym with his trainer 

Colleen Fisher in April 2012 




“When I do both bodybuilding and business, I can continually approach 

each with a fresh perspective and a fresh state of mind.” 

class. I was also declared the Master’s 

overall champion among all the master 

age group categories. Colleen’s 

coaching was instrumental in my 

win. She was invaluable, not only 

in the training and nutrition, but she 

helped me perfect my posing and settle 

on a stage routine. She also introduced 

me to Parrillo Products. I used 

many Parrillo products in my contest 

preparation.” 

Carey was quick to grasp the logic 

and comprehensiveness of the Parrillo 

approach to all things bodybuildingrelated. 

“I am continually seeking to 

refine my training. I experiment with 

nutrition: I will play with my meal frequency 

(add or subtract,) or I will increase 

or decrease my food volume or 

play with the nutrient composition. I 

am on the continual lookout for leaner 

and cleaner foods. I continuously look 

to stay current with the latest in training 

and nutrition information. I read 

the Parrillo Performance Press and 

use new ideas to push myself to new 

levels. After all, to successfully build 

muscle and strip off fat you need to 

push yourself to new levels.” 

We asked how he finds time to fit 

bodybuilding into his busy lifestyle 

and demanding career. “I’ve actually 

found that my business career 

and my bodybuilding career are 

a great complements to one another; 

each offers a complete 

break, one from the other. When 

I do both bodybuilding and business, 

I can continually approach 

each with a fresh perspective 

and a fresh state of mind. I move 

back and forth between these 

two focused pursuits.” A smart 

guy, Carey has another side and 

loves the outdoors. He lives in 

the outdoors paradise that is 

coastal Washington State. “Being 

single and without kids, I have 

the flexibility to coordinate my 

demanding work schedule with 

my demanding training schedule 

and my demanding recreational 

schedule.” Carey skis and snowshoes 

in the winter. You can find 

him whitewater rafting, sea kayaking, 

mountain climbing, backpacking, 

swimming or boating the rest of 

the year. 

“I love the wilderness and I love to 

do wildlife photography. I love travel, 

particularly adventure travel and international 

travel.” Carey is a fan of 

all kinds of music and regularly goes 

to outdoor and small venue concerts. 

“I love music and enjoy all sporting 

events. I compete in swimming, soccer 

and long distance running. I attend 

pro and college games in all sports 

with friends and family.” Carey also 

serves on the Board of Directors of a 

local non-profit wildlife shelter. He has 

served as a judge for a business plan 

competition for many years and he 

is a terrific example of what happens 

when an already athletic individual 

adopts the bodybuilding lifestyle, in 

all its glorious totality, for a protracted 

period of time. Bodybuilding is effective 

even when taken up later in life. 

Carey effected a dramatic physical 

transformation starting at age 39 and 

he exemplifies the numerous physical 

and psychological benefits associated 


“...To successfully build muscle and strip off fat 

you need to push yourself to new levels.” 

with living the bodybuilding lifestyle. 

Parrillo Products Carey uses… 

• Optimized Whey Protein 

(Chocolate Malt and Vanilla Malt) 

• 50/50 Plus (Chocolate and 

Vanilla) 

• Hi-Protein (Chocolate) 

• Parrillo Supplement Bars 

(Cappuccino) 

• Creatine Monohydrate 

• Parrillo Protein Chew Bars 

(Peanut Butter) 

My use of these products has varied, 

depending on my goals, e.g. increasing 

or decreasing carbs, manipulating 

protein, etc. Each individual 

product was used at a specific time in 

a specific way looking to elicit a specific 

result. Parrillo Products have 

been major factor in what I’ve been 

able to accomplish. I truly appreciate 

the potency and quality that goes into 

these products. 

Carey ’ s Daily 

Meal Schedule 

1. 8am dozen eggs (3 

yolks,) pineapple 

2. 9am Parrillo Supplement 

Bar (Cappuccino) 

3. 10am Parrillo Optimized 

Whey Protein 

shake + CapTri ® 

4. 11:30am chicken 

breast, asparagus, spinach 

w/ oil & vinegar, 

apple 

5. 12:30pm Parrillo 

50/50 Plus shake + 

CapTri ® 

6. 2pm chicken breast, 

asparagus, sweet potato 

7. 3pm Parrillo 50/50 Plus shake + 

CapTri ® 

8. 4pm chicken breast, spinach w/oil 

& vinegar, apple 

9. 5:30pm beef kebabs w/ bell peppers, 

sweet potato (pre-workout) 

10. 8:30pm beef kebabs w/ bell peppers, 

spinach w/oil & vinegar, apple 

11. 9:30pm Parrillo Optimized Whey 

Protein shake + CapTri ® 

With my work schedule, my meal 

schedule will vary. I prepare meals 

in bulk. I carry them with me as I 

travel around during my day. 

Weekly Training Split 

Day 1 Chest/Back/Calves 

Day 2 Legs (Quads/Hams)/Abs 

Day 3 Shoulders/Arms/Calves 

Day 4 Off 

Day 5 Repeat day 1 



Six times a week at the conclusion 

of my weight training session, I blast 

away at cardio, going as fast as possible 

for ten minutes using an ultrahigh 

intensity aerobic approach… 

as I roll deeper and deeper into my 

preparation for a competition, I will 

significantly increase the cardio session 

duration, while maintaining the 

session intensity. 


Carey onstage for the final Masters 

Overall comparisons at the 

2012 Emerald Cup 



Some things you just 

know don’t go together: 

drinking and driving, oil 

and water, cats and dogs, 

and Lady Gaga and normal 

clothing (she’s still 

my girl though). Being a 

bodybuilder for 25 years 

and a parent for over 18 

now, I have often pondered 

whether or not the 

two are compatible. 

Many of you reading this 

are parents, and many of 

you are not. Of those of 

you who are not parents, 

some of you will be eventually 

either by choice or 

circumstance, and some 

of you will never have 

children - again either 

intentionally or unintentionally. 

My wry observation 

is that most of the 

people who reproduce 

on purpose are those 

with some type of fertility 

issues. For the rest 

of us, it pretty much just 

happens one day. 

I work in an industry of 

professional and amateur 

athletes in bodybuilding, fitness, 

Figure, Bikini, and Physique. For 

the purposes of our discussion, 

“Bodybuilding is a truly 

demanding lifestyle” 

I’m just going to lump them all 

into the category of ‘bodybuilding.’ 

Bodybuilding is just about 

the most selfish sport 

there is, mainly because 

it’s the most demanding 

in terms of what you do 

24/7. 

To be the best bodybuilder 

you can possibly 

be (which is the goal regardless 

of whether you 

compete or not), your 

priorities must be your 

own training, eating, and 

rest. At first that doesn’t 

sound so involved to the 

outside observer since 

plenty of ‘normal’ people 

go to the gym, eat 

food, and sleep at night; 

so let me be a bit more 

clear. 

Your training includes 

your weight training 

workouts and your cardio 

sessions. Not only 

can they not be missed, 

but you must put out 

your best effort. Your 

meals and your rest are 

intimately connected to 

A BODYBUILDER IS BORN: Generations 

this. If you have missed meals or 

eaten things you shouldn’t have, 

and if you haven’t slept enough, 

either will have a negative impact 

on the workout. The meals need 

to be the right foods in the right 

quantities and ratios at the right 

intervals before the workout to 

provide ample fuel to 

train your hardest, and 

your meals afterward 

also need to be optimal 

so you can recover 

and grow - otherwise 

the workout was 

a waste of time and 

effort. Did I mention 

that since you have to 

eat clean, those meals, 

often six every day, 

all need to be cooked 

too? If you’re lucky 

like me you have an 

understanding wife to 

help out in that aspect, 

otherwise you better 

damn well learn how 

to cook. I wouldn’t 

recommend watching 

Rachael Ray or Paula 

Deen for instruction, 

unless what you really 

want to build is a 

fat ass. 

The same goes for 

your rest. You need to 

be rested to have the 

energy to train hard, and you 

must get adequate rest to recover 

and grow from the workout. 

That means eight hours a night, 

and naps here and there for those 

whose schedules allow. So as a 

bodybuilder, your life pretty 

much revolves around your 

workouts, your meals especially, 

and sleeping. 

The thing is, when you’re a parent, 

a good parent I mean, your 

needs can’t come first. The 

“To be the best, your training, 

eating, and rest must 

take priority.” 

needs of your children - their 

health and welfare - must take 

priority. Obviously, children are 

most helpless and need the most 

attention and care as infants 

when they can’t even do things 

like eat, bathe, or get dressed 

by themselves. Then there are 

loaded diapers to be constantly 

changed! Things get easier in one 

sense as they get a little older, 

but then you have new responsibilities: 

taking them to school 

and picking them up, shuttling 

them around to doctors, 

dentists, friends’ 

houses, sports practices 

and games, music 

or martial arts lessons 

and classes, etc. This 

goes on until they are 

old enough to drive 

and have their own 

vehicle. You can’t just 

up and go anywhere 

without them, say to 

a contest or a far-off 

gym; without first figuring 

out who will be 

able to watch your kid 

or kids, make sure they 

don’t perish from exposure 

or starvation, 

and get them to all the 

places they need to 

be. Childless people 

often have no concept 

that the ability to 

just spontaneously up 

and go somewhere, as 

long as you don’t have 

to work, is foreign to 

parents. We don’t go 

anywhere, ever, without 

first thinking, “What about 

the kids?” Some parents do, of 

course, which is when Child 

Protective Services typically 

enters the picture and relieves 

you of those pesky offspring 

10 October 2012 / Performance Press 1-800-344-3404 www.parrillo.com 

www.parrillo.com 1-800-344-3404 Performance Press / October 2012 

11


cramping your style. 

Do I ever envy that freedom? 

Sure I do! For a minute. I 

wouldn’t trade places 

though. I love my kids 

to death and can’t even 

fathom what my life 

would be like without 

them in it. 

So, can you be a bodybuilder 

with kids? Of 

course you can. Plenty of 

people who compete are 

parents. But they have 

the additional challenge 

of arranging all those 

workouts and meals 

around the schedules of 

their kids, and dealing 

with unexpected things 

like illness, troubles at 

school, issues staying in 

their own bed and crawling 

into yours, and so on. 

That’s why I give a lot 

of credit to all the parents 

out there who still 

manage to look great. I 

know many times it’s the 

mom who does the most 

for the kids while the dad has 

more leeway to do ‘his thing’ as 

a bodybuilder. And some moms 

have their mom, or their husband 

or boyfriend helping out a 

lot so she can have the time to 

train and eat. 

So to all the single parents out 

there, mostly moms I know but 

there are also some dads doing 

it solo, I take my hat off to you. 

You are living proof that there 

are no excuses, and anyone can 

look amazing if they want it 

“You can be a good parent 

and a good bodybuilder.” 

badly enough and are willing 

to be creative in managing their 

time. 

To all of you who are childless 

and bodybuilding, I’m sure you 

too have your struggles in life 

to deal with. But only the other 

parents out there know what I 

mean when I say that with kids 

in the equation, it’s a whole 

other world - as many of you will 

discover yourself eventually. 

So can bodybuilding and parenting 

mix? They can, 

but concessions must be 

made. You may have to 

postpone some workouts 

and meals, and there 

will definitely be nights 

especially early on when 

you won’t get as much 

sleep as you need to. For 

me, there has never been 

a question of giving up 

one for the other. I sure 

as hell would never 

abandon or neglect my 

kids, and there’s no way 

I would stop bodybuilding 

unless some injury or 

illness befell me that was 

severe enough to knock 

me out of the gym. I am 

a proud parent, and a 

proud bodybuilder - and 

so can you be! 

Ron 

Harris 

is the 

author of 

Real Bodybuilding, 

available at 

www.ronharrismuscle.com 

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www.parrillo.com 1-800-344-3404 Performance Press / October 2012 13

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The Parrillo Principles 

Truthfulness, the Parrillo 

Nutritional Strategy 

and BodyStat 

What differentiates John 

Parrillo from the rest 

of the fitness world is 

his cold allegiance to the truth 

– even if the truth is detrimental to 

his own financial wellbeing. Back 

in the early 1980s I was an avid 

supplement taker, indiscriminately 

leaping from one “magical” supplement 

to the next. I was lured in 

by outrageous advertising claims 

made by unscrupulous supplement 

makers. I desperately wanted to 

believe that the bold lies (told with 

such easy assurance) were in fact 

true. Had I been a little smarter I 

would have noticed that the advertising 

templates were predictably 

the same: purchase a full color ad 

in a muscle magazine and have 

some monstrous bodybuilder proclaim 

that the featured supplement 

was critical and indispensable and 

without this particular product it 

would have been impossible for 

the monster man to construct the 

body he displayed in the ad. Yeah, 

right. Chances are the supplement 

didn’t even exist during most of 

the 15-20 years it took the monster 

man to develop his physique. 

The second widely used advertising 

template involved beautiful, 

scantily clad women. This clever 

tactic caused male bodybuilders to 

By Andre Newcomb 

pause before turning the page. The 

boys and men would gaze lustfully 

at these exotic sex objects and by 

keeping the men and boys staring 

at the page the message about the 

supplement would be communicated. 

Another successful supplement 

template used multiple images of 

normal folks radically transformed 

in ‘before and after’ shots. This tactic 

was brought to high art by one 

4Parrillo promoted the 

unpopular notion that 

using his supplements 

would allow the user to 

train more not less and 

train harder not easier. 

4 

outfit whose owner bragged in my 

presence that he had no compunction 

about advertising deception 

and outright lying because, and 

I quote, “No natural supplement 

works: none of them are worth a 

damn!” He also bragged about how 

in every $85 supplement “kit” sold, 

he had less than $3 in actual cost. 

This man built a fortune using this 

cynical ruse: his New Jersey mansion 

was featured in Architectural 

Digest and his collection of vintage 

rock guitars (kept in a specially 

built hermetically sealed room) 

was valued at over $1,000,000. 

He died at age 39 of a prescription 

drug overdose and was considered 

the salesmanship “role model” by 

the rest of the industry. 

John Parrillo said repeatedly that 

natural supplements, potent natural 

supplements, can and do work – assuming 

the supplements are potent 

and used in precise conjunction 

with a diet based on the expert use 

of real food. From day one Parrillo 

Performance Products has been 

upfront about the realistic results 

that can be procured from natural 

supplements. Parrillo has flatly and 

repeatedly stated that potent nutritional 

supplements can add 10-20% 

to the final finished physical product: 

and that my friend is huge! 

Compared to the over-the-top deceitful 

lies proclaimed by other 

supplement makers, John’s realistic 

claims seemed tame. Parrillo promoted 

the unpopular notion that 

using his supplements would allow 

the user to train more not less and 

train harder not easier. His supplements 

were never designed to provide 

the user a way to avoid the 



15


The Parrillo Principles 

disciplined eating and ferocious 

training necessary to transform 

the human body. Parrillo Products 

seemed pedestrian compared to 

the incredible results claimed by 

supplement liars. Despite the pressure 

to go along with the crowd, 

John Parrillo never wavered in his 

complete allegiance to the factual 

truth. Maybe that’s the reason that 

Parrillo Performance Products are 

still around, thirty years down the 

road. This in an industry where 

the ‘shelf life’ of a new supplement 

is, on average, less than a 

year and supplement companies 

disappear completely after a few 

short years of existence. Are you 

aware that a half dozen Parrillo 

supplements remain popular thirty 

years after their introduction! Nutritional 

supplements are meant to 

supplement a sound diet. A “sound 

diet” is a diet based on the studied 

use of regular food, the kind purchased 

at the grocery store. Honest 

supplementation is not designed 

to replace regular food; nor is the 

use of supplements supposed to 

magically eliminate or reduce the 

time or gut-busting effort needed 

in the gym. Parrillo contended that 

precise use of potent, natural nutritional 

supplements would allow 

the serious trainee to train harder 

and train more often, train longer 

and recover quicker from the intense 

resistance and intense cardio 

he recommended. His truth telling 

stood him apart from the rest of the 

crowd back in the 80’s and it still 

sets him apart from the crowd in 

the year 2012. 

Parrillo’s sophisticated approach 

has evolved slowly and methodically 

over the past four decades. 

He honed his system to razor-edge 

perfection by preparing thousands 

of bodybuilders for competition. 

The methods first developed for 

elite national and international 

level bodybuilders have proven 

incredibly effective when applied 

to regular folks in pursuit of more 

modest fitness goals. The Parrillo 

nutritional approach empowers 

the user by providing them with a 

system whose foundation is built 

on the precise use of regular food. 

Parrillo supplements are meant to 

supplement a sound diet, not 

replace regular food. 

This foundational food base is augmented 

and amplified by the inclusion 

of powerful nutritional supplements. 

The Parrillo Nutritional approach 

enables the trainee to custom 

design a dietary approach that 

suits their lifestyle and melds with 

their particular needs and circumstance. 

The Parrillo nutritional approach 

starts by establishing realistic 

goals. Once the goals are set the 

Parrillo trainee uses the BodyStat 

Kit to monitor results. The BodyStat 

Kit includes the BodyStat Manual, 

BodyStat sheets and skin-fold 

calipers. The trainee uses BodyStat 

procedures to evaluate what is happening 

to his or her body composition: 

the ratio of lean muscle mass 

to body fat. Readings are taken 

weekly and results are monitored 

on a continual and ongoing basis. 

Based upon the weekly BodyStat 

results, the trainee might tweak 

their diet, they might tweak their 

training or they might tweak both. 

The idea is to keep progress going 

by manipulating the variables. The 

Parrillo method used today was developed 

over many, many years of 

trial and error. The overall goal is 

simple to grasp... 

Try and gain muscle 

without gaining fat; 

try to lose fat without 

losing muscle. 

The easiest way to gain muscle 

is to stay in a calorie-surplus 

state. In the Parrillo mass 

building system, the trainee 

eats enough clean calories to 

gain between 1 and 2 pounds 

per week. Progress is charted 

using the BodyStat Kit to determine 

what percentage of 

body weight gained is muscle 

and what percentage of weight 

gained was fat. If the weight gain 

is all muscle then you have hit the 

mark. You keep doing what you 

have been doing. If an unacceptable 

portion of the weight gained 

is fat, the trainee tweaks their diet. 

They could increase the lean protein 

intake while lowering starch 

carbs. This particular tactic increases 

glucagon and decreases 

insulin. Perhaps the trainee leaves 

the diet intact and alters the weight 

training or aerobics. There are, as 

the old saying goes, many ways to 

skin a cat. If the goal is to become as 

lean as possible, the easiest way to 

lose fat is to create a caloric deficit. 

Generally speaking, and depending 

upon the size of the individual, 

the goal should be to lose between 

1 and 2 pounds of body weight per 

week and use BodyStat charting 

to determine if the weight lost was 

body fat. If your weight loss was fat 

loss then you keep doing what you 

have been doing. If you lose an unacceptable 

amount of muscle in the 

process, then this indicates a tweak 

to the diet or a tweak to the training 

is in order. BodyStat methodology 

keeps you from getting fat when 

you are trying to add muscle size. 

BodyStat methodology keeps you 

from losing muscle when you are 

trying to burn off body fat. Body- 

Stat charting alerts you if you are 

on the right or wrong track and 

tells you when it is time to make 

a change in your strategy. Body- 

Stat charting eliminates the guesswork. 

The bathroom scale can be 

incredibly deceiving: you could 

lose two pounds of body weight, 

think you are doing great when in 

fact you have starved yourself, shut 

the metabolism down and have actually 

lost two pounds of muscle! 

You think you are on the right 

track when in fact your fat percentage 

remains untouched. Using 

the scales alone can leave you fat, 

dumb and happy – quite literally. 

BodyStat charting is all about 

logic: if you are on a mass building 

program and after a protracted 

period of time BodyStat charting 

alerts you that your body is unable 

to put on another pound of muscle 

(the only weight gain is fat gain) 

then it is time to reverse directions 

and start leaning out. Cut the starch 

carbs and up the aerobics. This 

opens up the insulin receptor sites 

Truthfulness, the Parrillo Nutritional Strategy & BodyStat 

and adds capillary density to muscles. 

Down the road you can go on 

another mass gain cycle. Likewise 

when the lean-out strategy has run 

its course and you can’t seem to 

lose another pound of fat without 

losing muscle, then it is logically 

time to switch directions and start 

gaining a pound or two of weight 

per week. This switch will speed 

up your metabolism and enable 

you to start losing fat again as well. 

This is the essence of the Parrillo 

approach and the BodyStat system 

BodyStat testing 

eliminates the 

guesswork! 

is the cornerstone, the foundation, 

of the Parrillo nutritional system. 

BodyStat charting allows the 

trainee to create a weekly report 

card. If you are really serious and 

want to make continued progress 

this is the ideal system. This system 

allows you to continually chart 

progress and eliminate the guess 

work. Remember that every diet 

works if the calories are low enough 

– you will lose body weight – but 

are you losing body fat? BodyStat 

charting will give you the answer 

to that critical question. Our system 

lets you figure out which diet 

is the best diet for you. We find 

that if you do things right your metabolism 

constantly increases: this 

is called building the metabolism. 

John Parrillo was the first person 

to show that you could get lean and 

muscular by eating a lot of calories 

– if it is done right. John has 

had competitors win major world 

bodybuilding competitions eating 

10,000 calories per day and eat that 

amount of food without adding a 

single ounce of fat. How is that possible? 

Over time, using the BodyStat 

system, the metabolism gradually 

acclimatizes and is able to handle 

an ever increasing number of 

calories. The modern bodybuilding 

champions are able to step onstage 

weighing 250+ pounds carrying 

4% body fat percentiles: they have 

trained their metabolisms to handle 

massive amounts of calories without 

shuttling excess into fat storage. 

To use an appropriate analogy: a 

raging bonfire is able to burn giant 

logs. A pathetic, smoldering fire can 

only burn twigs. A raging metabolism 

can burn massive amounts of 

clean calories and burn them thoroughly 

and completely. A stunted 

metabolism turns excess calories 

into body fat quicker than you can 

say “Pass the pie!” Parrillo’s genius 

was modifying the tactics of 

the champions for use by regular 

people. The champions blazed the 

trail and normal people can use 

these advanced tactics to pursue 

their own goals. For $39.95 you 

can purchase the BodyStat Kit and 

start issuing your own weekly report 

card. Combine potent Parrillo 

supplements with the expert use of 

regular food. Use the BodyStat Kit 

to inform you of weekly changes in 

body composition. Why fly blind? 

16 

October 2012 / Performance Press 1-800-344-3404 www.parrillo.com www.parrillo.com 1-800-344-3404 Performance Press / October 2012 

17

tips 

RECIPE 

spotlight 

Buffaloaf 

686 g. (1.5 1bs.) 100% lean buffalo meat 

100 g. egg whites 

50 g. chopped parsley 

50 g. grated carrot 

50 g. minced onion 

50 g. catsup 

25 g. oats 

4 tbsp. CapTri ® 

garlic and oregano to taste 

Mix all ingredients in a loaf pan. Bake at 350 

degrees for 90 minutes. Serves four. 

Training Tip 

of the month: 

Bench Press To The Neck 

This bench press variation is excellent for upper pec 

development. Take a medium grip on the bar. As 

with the bench press, it’s important to align your 

pectoral girdle 

properly to place 

the mechanical 

advantage on your 

upper pecs. Press 

your shoulders 

down toward 

your waist. Push 

your sternum up. 

As you lower the 

bar, pinch your 

chin into your chest. Bring the bar down to this 

pinch point. Then press back up to the starting 

position, staying tight throughout the full range 

of motion. 

& tidbits 

Calories 50 

Protein 3.30g 

Fat .70g 

Total Carbs 10.01g 

of the month 

Food 

of the month: 

Kale 

• Very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, 

lutein, zeaxanthin, and a good source of calcium. 

•Contains sulforaphane (particularly when chopped or 

minced), a chemical with potent anti-cancer 

properties, and is also a good source of carotenoids. 

•A source of indole-3-carbinol, which boosts DNA 

repair in cells and appears to block the growth of 

cancer cells. 

Nutritional Information for 100 grams, raw: 

Fiber 2.0g 

Calcium 135mg 

Phosphorus 56mg 

Iron 1.70mg 

Try these great recipe ideas using kale: 

Sodium 43mg 

Potassium 447mg 

Vitamin A 

15376 IU 

• Add washed, chopped fresh kale to soups like Lentil and 

Vegetable Stew, Vegetable Turkey Stew, and Vegetable Soup 

• Add finely chopped Tuscan kale to salads, like the Green and 

Crunchy Salad 

nutrition Tip 

of the month: 

The single best supplement for gaining muscle is 

creatine. This is a molecule stored inside muscle 

cells and is involved in energy production. It increases 

muscle size and strength dramatically within the first 

month of using it. Muscle gains of 4-14 lbs. and strength increases 

of 10-15% are typical during the first month of creatine 

supplementation. That’s quite amazing when you think 

about it. Most of the muscular weight gain is do to storage of 

water inside muscle cells. As creatine is stored in the muscle, 

it attracts water, causing the muscle cell to swell. The strength 

increases are due to increased energy producing ability of the 

muscle. While muscle gains during the first month are miraculous, 

things slow down after that. After the muscles are saturated 

with creatine, they can’t soak up any more, and after 

that it’s a matter of maintenance of creatine stores. For the 

first 1-3 weeks you should use 20g a day to fully load the muscle, 

then 5-10g a day to maintain muscle stores. It stands to 

reason that muscle protein gain will ultimately be enhanced 

as well, leading to faster muscle growth, because you’re 

able to train heavier while using creatine. This, of course, 

providing you increase your protein and calories to support 

News & Discoveries 

In Fitness & Nutrition 

Cocoa Compounds May Reduce 

Blood Pressure 

Compounds in cocoa may help to reduce blood pressure, according 

to a new systematic review in The Cochrane Library. 

The researchers reviewed evidence from short-term trials 

in which participants were given dark chocolate or cocoa 

powder daily and found that their blood pressure dropped 

slightly compared to a control group. Cocoa contains compounds 

called flavanols, thought to be responsible for the 

formation of nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide causes 

blood vessel walls to relax and open wider, thereby reducing 

blood pressure. The link between cocoa and blood pressure 

stems from the discovery that the indigenous people 

of San Blas Island in Central American, who drink flavanolrich 

cocoa drinks every day, have normal blood pressure regardless 

of age. However, flavanol concentrations in cocoa 

and chocolate products vary according to cocoa processing 

procedures and types of chocolate, so it is difficult to 

establish the optimal dosage for an effect. To investigate 

the effect of flavanols on blood pressure, the researchers 

reviewed data from trials in which people consumed dark 

chocolate or cocoa powder containing between 30-1080mg 

of flavanols in 3-100g of chocolate each day. Altogether, 856 

people were involved in 20 trials lasting 2-8 weeks, or in one 

case, 18 weeks. Flavanol-rich chocolate or cocoa powder reduced 

blood pressure on average by 2-3mm Hg. “Although 

we don’t yet have evidence for any sustained decrease in 

blood pressure, the small reduction we saw over the short 

term might complement other treatment options and might 

contribute to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease,” 

said lead researcher Karin Ried of the National Institute of 

Integrative Medicine in Melbourne, Australia. 

Interesting 

Article Fact: 

- from EurekAlert!, August 14, 2012 

Whey protein is rich in the branch chain amino acid leucine, 

shown to help in muscle building and fat-burning. 

Read more in John Parrillo’s article on page 20. 

Dominique’s 

Time Cruncher 

Question 

of the month: 

Quick Tip 

of the month: 

Want a quick meal that doesn’t skimp on the vegetables 

and quality protein? Make a stir-fry! In the grocery’s 

Natural Vegetable sources 

Natural E-Plus contains 400IU Vitamin E (as d-alpha 

produce and meat departments, look for vegetables and 

tocopherol plus d-beta, d-gamma, d-delta tocopherols) 

from natural vegetable oils. It contains no sugar, no 

meats that are prepped to the correct size for stir-frying. 

The packages are usually labeled for “stir-fry” and will save 

starch, no preservatives, and no artificial color or flavor. 

you lots of time in the kitchen. Just get out your skillet or 

this growth. 

wok, turn on the stove top, and you are ready to cook! 

18 October 2012 / Performance Press 1-800-344-3404 www.parrillo.com www.parrillo.com 1-800-344-3404 Performance Press / October 2012 19 

18 

19 

? 

Question: Would there be any benefits to following 

a high fat diet to get lean or is there a better choice 

out there for me? 

Answer: There are more benefits of a high carbohydrate 

diet as compared to the high fat diet in terms 

of getting lean. Not all calories are created equal. Dietary 

fat is preferentially stored as body fat, whereas 

carbohydrates do not significantly contribute to fat 

stores. Most of your body fat is derived from the fat 

you eat and very little comes from conversion of protein 

or carbohydrate into fat. So it makes sense that 

if you want to reduce body fat the first place to start 

is to eat less fat. Proponents of the high fat diet say 

that carbohydrates cause insulin release which in turn 

stimulates fat storage. On the Parrillo diet we teach 

you how to select carbohydrate sources and structure 

your meals so that carbohydrates are released into the 

bloodstream very slowly, so this isn’t a problem. We 

have found that if you eat a diet higher in carbs and 

low in fat you will end up being leaner and more muscular 

whether you are using the diet to gain weight or 

lose weight. 

Try mixing Banana Flavor and Maple Flavor Parrillo Hi- 

Protein Muffin Mix together the next time you want 

warm, just baked muffins! We whipped up a batch of 

banana maple muffins here at Parrillo HQ and they were 

delicious! You can also sprinkle some oats on the muffins 

before baking. Mixing the two flavors together would 

also work when you’re making pancakes, try it! 

Supplement 

of the month: 

Natural E-Plus 

• Helps build a strong immune system 

• Helps promote healthy heart, eyes, and prostate 

• Powerful antioxidant which is obtained from


FAT BURNERS: THE PARRILLO SUPPLEMENT GUIDE 

I 

know you’ve seen the ads everywhere: 

people claiming to get cut 

and ripped after taking a fat-burning 

supplement. And you wonder: do 

these supplements work? Before I answer 

that question, let me emphasize 

that the right diet (lean protein, low-fat, 

high-fiber, and vegetable-rich), coupled 

with intense weight training and regular 

cardio workouts, is the best fatburning 

combination. That said, if you 

add in certain fat-burners, you can certainly 

boost your way toward leanness, 

big time. What follows is my guide to 

the best fat-burners – the ones I recommend 

that can really give you the lean 

edge – and how to take them. 

Whey Protein + Creatine 

You build lean muscle with protein, 

and muscle is your body’s fat-burning 

engine. Well-developed muscle burns 

calories, pure and simple. You can increase 

muscle and burn body fat by 

supplementing with a combo of whey 

protein and creatine monohydrate. 

Whey protein is rich in the branch chain 

amino acid leucine (see below). Leucine 

has been shown to help muscle building 

and fat burning. Whey, in Parrillo’s Optimized 

Whey Protein , is thus an ideal 

fat-burning protein. As a fast-digesting 

protein, it can move leucine to the muscles 

as quickly as possible. 

Creatine is available from Parrillo Performance 

as Parrillo Creatine Monohydrate 

. Increasing the levels of creatine 

in your muscles gives them another fuel 

source besides glycogen from carbohydrates. 

The question is: how much creatine 

do you need? To start, we recommend 

for the first one to two weeks you 

use 20-30 grams each day, divided into 

even servings of 5 grams each taken 

with each meal or mixed with our Parrillo 

Optimized Whey Protein . This 

is the loading phase. Use the lower end 

of these recommendations if you’re in 

the 150-200 pound range and the upper 

end if you’re over 200 pounds. We 

recommend one to two weeks, but the 

loading phase can last up to four weeks 

in some individuals. After this, 5-10 

grams a day should be sufficient to 

maintain elevated muscle stores of creatine. 

It takes approximately 4-8 weeks 

to deplete creatine stores after you stop 

taking it. 

Leucine 

A growing mound of proof suggests that 

supplementing with leucine will help 

you maintain muscle mass and burn 

body fat. Leucine, which comprises 

about one-third of muscle protein, enters 

muscle cells and turns on key biochemical 

processes that result in more 

muscle protein and, thus, more muscle 

development and greater fat-burning. 

Leucine also increases secretion of the 

anabolic hormone insulin, important 

for encouraging growth. Therefore, this 

essential amino acid is not only a building 

block, but it is also needed to turn 

on your muscle-building and fat-burning 

processes. A great source of leucine 

is Parrillo Muscle Amino Formula (a 

formulation of BCAAs). The suggested 

usage is two or more capsules with 

each meal and/or 4-6 capsules before 

and after workouts. 

Lipotropics 

A powerful fat burner supplement like 

Parrillo Advanced Lipotropic Formula 

will help you shed extra fat. This 

scientifically formulated supplement 

combines the following: 

Biotin: A B-vitamin, biotin activates 

genes involved in regulating insulin 

and blood sugar. Biotin is required to 

make four key enzymes called carboxylases. 

These enzymes are involved in 

the metabolism of fats, and the conversion 

of protein and fat to glucose. Without 

biotin, the body cannot adequately 

metabolize fat. 

Choline: This B vitamin is a “first 

string” player among lipotropics. Its 

most vital function is regulating the 

amount of fat that accumulates in the 

liver, which is one of the body’s storage 

sites for excess fat. Another benefit 

of choline is that it helps emulsify 

cholesterol, preventing it from building 

up in artery walls or gallbladder. Also, 

choline works to rid the body of toxins, 

poisons, and any drug residues. This 

is important because toxins can impede 

fat-burning. Deficiencies in choline 

contribute to high blood pressure, 

hardening of the arteries, cirrhosis of 

the liver, and lack of appetite. Interestingly, 

hens will not lay eggs if deficient 

in choline. (Eggs happen to be a great 

source of choline.) 

Inositol: Closely associated with biotin 

and choline is the B vitamin inositol. 

This nutrient stimulates the body’s production 

of lecithin, a lipid-based component 

in the body that transports fats 

from the liver to the cells for energy. 

Inositol is thus an important regulator 

of fat metabolism. It also helps reduce 

cholesterol by preventing the build-up 

of fatty deposits in the arteries that lead 

to their narrowing. 

L-carnitine: Another key lipotropic is 

carnitine, a protein-like nutrient made 

by the body but also found in foods. Its 

main function is to assist the body in 

burning fat. In studies, carnitine appears 

to emulsify fat build-up in the 

arteries and internal organs. Carnitine 

also stimulates the adrenal glands, 

which help the body in using its fat reserves 

as fuel. 

Betaine: This nutrient is a substance 

from which choline is formed and has 

similar functions. Betaine can help with 

joint and liver repair and muscle recovery, 

as well as reduce inflammation and 

the risk of heart disease. 

Chromium picolinate: This 

mineral has been shown to 

increase glucose tolerance (to 

help get carbohydrates into 

your cells to be used for energy 

rather than stored as body 

fat) and stabilize blood sugar 

levels (to avoid low-energy periods). 

When supplementing, 

take one capsule of Parrillo 

Advanced Lipotropic Formula 

with each meal. 

Thermogenics through MCTs 

CapTri ® is a special kind of 

fat called a medium chain triglyceride 

(MCT). CapTri ® harnesses the energy 

density of fat but is not stored as body 

fat. The molecular structure of CapTri ® 

results in it being metabolized differently 

than conventional fats. Instead 

of being transported to fat depots like 

regular fats, CapTri ® is transported directly 

to the liver and is immediately 

burned to produce energy. 

Probably the most amazing thing is that 

lipids like CapTri ® also have a lower 

food efficiency than carbohydrates. 

This means that it’s harder for your 

body to convert CapTri ® into fat than it 

is to store excess carbohydrates as fat. 

Bodybuilders use CapTri ® while dieting 

for this reason. CapTri ® is burned 

rapidly in the liver. Some of the energy 

is released as body heat in a process 

known as thermogenesis. The thermogenic 

effect is probably the most important 

reason why CapTri ® has such a low 

food efficiency. Instead of being stored 

as fat, excess calories from CapTri ® 

are converted to body heat, and this 

means you burn more calories per hour. 

This explains why calories from Cap- 

Tri ® contribute less to fat stores than 

an equivalent number of calories from 

conventional fats or carbohydrates. 

Scientific studies have shown that when 

lipids like CapTri ® are used in place of 

carbohydrates, body fat stores are lower. 

And fewer carbohydrates are converted 

Boost your way toward 

leanness with these 

potent Parrillo 

products! 

into fat, even in the presence of insulin. 

Insulin is an anabolic hormone which is 

released from the pancreas in response 

to an increase in blood glucose (sugar). 

Insulin causes cells to absorb glucose 

and amino acids, thereby stimulating 

growth. Unfortunately, insulin also 

causes fat cells to absorb glucose and 

fatty acids, stimulating fat storage. Fat 

storage enzymes are less active when 

lipids like CapTri ® are added to the 

diet, even under conditions of insulin 

stimulation. 

Bodybuilders have used low-carb diets 

for years. When you reduce carbs you in 

turn reduce insulin (remember, insulin 

promotes fat storage) and activate the 

carnitine shuttle. The carnitine shuttle 

is a transport system which moves fatty 

acids inside mitochondria - the furnaces 

inside cells where foods are burned for 

energy. The body is then able to shift 

into a fat-burning mode. Glucagon is 

another hormone, also produced by the 

pancreas, but with the opposite actions 

of insulin. After you eat a big carbohydrate 

meal your body releases insulin 

which causes cells to absorb glucose. 

Some of the glucose is used for energy 

and the excess is stored as glycogen 

and fat. As the blood glucose level goes 

down, the insulin level goes down too. 

After your cells run out of glucose, glucagon 

is released as a signal to begin 

burning fat. The problem with the old 

low-carb diets is that you don’t have 

much energy and your metabolism 

slows down because you’re 

not consuming enough calories. 

You’re really not consuming 

any fuels that your body likes to 

use for energy. In the new lowcarb 

strategy, you use CapTri ® 

in place of starchy carbs. This 

results in decreased insulin production 

and increased glucagon 

release. 

The calories from CapTri ® provide 

the energy you need to keep 

training hard. Also, by substituting 

CapTri ® for an equivalent 

number of calories from carbohydrates 

you avoid the slow-down in 

metabolic rate which inevitably results 

from calorie-restricted diets. 

CapTri ® is the most highly refined, ultrapurified 

MCT on the market. The 

formulation of CapTri ® was specifically 

designed for people who want to be as 

lean as possible. CapTri ® is available 

exclusively from Parrillo Performance. 

So if you’re looking for a good source 

of calories to provide energy while dieting, 

try CapTri ® . Start with one tablespoon 

a day, and after several days, add 

in another tablespoon or two. 

Try these supplements to turbo-charge 

your fat-burning. For information on 

diet and training, make sure you follow 

the recommendations in the Parrillo 

Nutrition Manual and the Parrillo 

Training Manual – and you’ll turn into 

a lean, ripped, sculpted machine in 

no time. 



21

Yum! 

New! 


Mmmm...Chocolate Shortbread Cookies! 

1 2 3 

What you’ll need: 

Orderline: 1-800-344-3404 

2 scoops mix + 4 TBS CapTri ® 

or vegetable oil 

4 5 6 7:00 

to 

9:00 

Divide dough into 12 balls, 

press flat with fork 

Bake for 7-9 minutes at 350° 

Mix dough thoroughly until 

packable 

Let cookies cool and ENJOY! 

6g Protein, 0g Sugars, & Only 1.2g Net Carbs Per Serving! 

Order Online: www.parrillo.com 

Lat Pull-downs are overrated…Clown School: real psyche 

versus pretend psyche…Estrogenic worries? Not with Parrillo! 

East German thinks our species is done for… 

Vic Steele, 

I have been doing lat pulldowns 

for years and I just now 

noticed that I don’t have any lats! 

What’s up with that!? Pull-downs 

are my number one back exercise 

and I have done them forever and 

guess what? I have a substandard 

back by any standard. I do lat pulldowns, 

front and rear and I will 

switch handles and grip widths. I 

will use chin grip and pull-down 

grip and over the years I have become 

really good at lat pull-downs 

– but my lat development is so average 

it makes me think all these 

years of pull-downs were a complete 

waste of time. My other back 

exercises are shoulder shrugs and 

one arm dumbbell rows. I have been 

doing the same back routine using 

the same exercises for the same 

number of sets and reps for years. I 

don’t have much in the way of back 

muscles to show for it. What would 

you suggest? I am 29 and I am in 

the US Army – I am in good shape 

and I am a military professional. I 

am ready to roll! 

Boz, Baton Rouge 

Thank you for your service. We 

don’t see our back muscles when 

we look in the mirror and because 

of that we neglect the unseen muscles 

of the back. I have a list of my 

favorite back exercises listed in order 

of effectiveness. When it comes 

to building power, strength and 

back muscles, lat pull-downs rank 

way down the effectiveness list, in 

sixth place on my list. Pull-downs 

have their place – but their place is 

NOT at the top of any back exercise 

prioritization list. First off, if you 

can chin or pull-up free-hand, then 

do so. Free-hand chins and pull-ups 

trump lat pull-downs every single 

time. Why? The activation of muscle 

stabilizers is far more intense 

with free-hand chins or pull-ups. 

When the athlete is hanging by 

their hands on a bar in time and 

space, the act of pulling upward until 

their chin tops the bar (on every 

rep) causes maximum muscle stabilizer 

activation. When the athlete 

does lat pull-downs they are comfortably 

seated with knees braced; 

they pull a cable handle downward 

– this is a little too easy to be maximally 

effective: effort and stress 

trigger hypertrophy, not smoothness 

and ease. Pull-downs activate 


23


IRON VIC SPEAKS By IRON VIC STEELE 

far fewer muscle stabilizers than 

chins or pull-ups. This would be 

my top six back exercises. They 

are listed in order of importance 

and effectiveness… 

1. Deadlifts: The deadlift is the 

undisputed KING of all back exercises. 

Do them conventional style 

or do them sumo. Do them standing 

on a box or do them with various 

grip widths and stance combinations. 

Regardless the technique 

used, a properly performed deadlift 

maximally stimulates and strengthens 

back muscles. From tailbone to 

neckline, every single back muscle 

is activated every single time by a 

perfect deadlift. 

2. Power cleans: This is a forgotten 

and ignored exercise; this is also a 

killer exercise that requires the use 

of ballistics and speed; the idea is 

to propel a barbell upward – this is 

completely different than the deadlift 

“grind.” Power cleans are the 

ultimate trap builder. Mountainous 

traps have always denoted power. 

3. Chin-ups and pull-ups 

done with additional poundage 

strapped to waist: These are the 

best lat builders in the business. 

People erroneously think the muscle-building 

benefits derived from 

weighted chins and weighted pullups 

can be equaled by seated lat 

pull-downs – no way. If you can do 

weighted chins or weighted pullups 

with any grip, do them! 

4. Chin-ups and pull-ups done 

with no weight: If you can’t chin 

or pull-up with weight, do the next 

best thing and bang out multiple 5 

rep sets in any type of chin or pullup, 

regardless the grip, that you 

are capable of. Weighted chins and 

pull-ups trump un-weighted chins 

and pull-ups. Free-weight chins 

and pull-ups trump seated lat pulldowns 

all day every day. 

Iron Vic’s 

#1 Back Exercise: 

Deadlifts 

The undisputed KING of all 

back exercises. A properly 

performed deadlift maximally 

stimulates and strengthens 

back muscles. 

5. Barbell rowing: Big strong men 

row with a barbell loaded with 

three, four or five 45 pound plates 

on each side of the bar. I want to 

gag when I see sissies performing 

one-arm rows with a dumbbell 

my grandmother could rep; reject 

effete, knee-on-bench, dumbbell 

rows! Man up! Perform strict barbell 

rows: what is strict? Upper 

body parallel to the floor, no lower 

back or leg jolt to get the bar moving 

– dead-hang pull every rep; 

touch the chest on every rep. 

6. Pull-downs: In sixth place we 

have the number one most utilized 

back exercise in the world. Why the 

love affair with pull-downs, both 

in front and behind the head? They 

are fun and they are easy. You get 

to sit on a comfortable pad and pull 

downward using a smooth-as-glass 

cable – up and down, up and down; 

how smooth, how easy, how ineffective. 

Obviously if you suddenly stop 

doing your cute little pull-down/ 

shrug/dumbbell row semi-sissy 

routine and Man Up with some 

heavy deadlifts, power cleans, 

rows and weighted chins or pullups, 

your back will explode with 

growth. Here is how I would set up 

a weekly back training split... 

Day one – 

Deadlift, work up to one all out set 

of five reps. Go from light to heavy 

in 5 sets. 

Barbell row – three sets of eight 

reps: light, medium and all out. 

Weighted chin, chin, or chin-grip 

pull-downs: do what you can, 3-4 

sets of 5-8 reps. 

Day two – 

Power clean, work up to one all out 

set of three reps. Go from light to 

heavy in 4 sets. 

Reverse grip barbell row: Dorian 

style 70-degrees, 4 sets of 6 reps, 

light to heavy. 

Weighted pull-up, pull-ups or pulldowns 

using pull-up grip: 4 sets of 

5-8, light to heavy. 

Push the poundage or reps upward 

in each subsequent session, even if 

it’s ever so slightly; keep it up for 

three full months and write back 

– you can thank me effusively for 

the massive improvement in your 

formerly puny and now massive 

back. 

Vic, 

We have a bunch of young clowns at 

my local gym that love to “act out” 

prior to a top set of squats, benches 

or deadlifts – supposedly they are 

“powerlifters” but if they are, they 

are pretty weak. They wear all the 

latest expensive supportive gear 

(knee wraps, power belt, squat suit) 

and when they squat they squat 

down about one foot (sky high) and 

yell as they come erect; these guys 

might rep 500 for 3 rough reps, doing 

their shaky, half-squat reps. 

There are a half dozen of these 

guys and they’re a regular little 

gym gang. They yell profanely and 

slap each other and generally act 

ridiculous before performing their 

half-squats, bounced benches (that 

aren’t paused) and deadlifts rarely 

done and rarely done right. Are 

these guys actually improving their 

lifting performance by putting on 

these screaming performances?? 

Ralph, Wheaton 

They are, as your gut tells you, poseurs. 

These are complete amateurs 

imitating their fantasy dreams of 

how big league strength athletes 

look, walk, talk and act when they 

train. These guys are ‘wannabes’ 

pretending to be what they are not, 

nor will they ever become: elite 

strength athletes. The really good 

athletes don’t need to seek attention 

– they attract attention; quite 

the opposite from your gym clowns 

that yell and scream to draw attention. 

Pros recalibrate their brain in 

such a way as to improve the quality 

of the workout. The elite athlete 

knows that the proper mindset can 

add 2-5% to the performance of the 

session. There are powerlifters that 

use the crazed psyche-up antics and 

some of them are quite good. This 

crew that you’ve encountered is a 

pack of bogus pretenders. Pay them 

no mind as all these groups eventually 

disperse due to the transient 

nature of the participants. These 

If you are a Parrillo-style 

bodybuilder following the 

precepts of the Parrillo 

nutritional approach, you 

are doing everything right 

and proper about avoiding 

and preventing the excess 

buildup of estrogen. 

men are practicing pretend psyche 

as opposed to real psyche. Real 

psyche requires years of practice 

to master. Real psyche is all about 

internal recalibration as opposed to 

external show for those that might 

be observing. 

Vic, 

What’s the deal with estrogen? I 

hear a lot of talk about how modern 

men are loaded with estrogen and 

this is making us weak and feminine 

– is this true or just medical scare 

talk? If so, is excess estrogen something 

that we bodybuilders need to 

be concerned about? What causes 

excess estrogen and how can it be 

avoided? Is it a real problem? 

Juno, Texarkana 

Yes it is a problem and yes you 

should be worried about it. If you 

are a Parrillo-style bodybuilder following 

the precepts of the Parrillo 

nutritional approach, you are doing 

everything right and proper about 

avoiding and preventing the excess 

buildup of estrogen. You are safe. 

As teenagers, men have high levels 

of testosterone and low levels of 

estrogen. As they age, testosterone 

levels in men decrease while their 

estrogen levels increase. Not surprisingly, 

high levels of estrogen in 

men usually correspond to low levels 

of testosterone. High estrogen 

levels in men contribute to prostate 

cancer and heart disease as well as 

gynecomastia (enlarged breasts). 

As the testosterone is transformed 

into estrogen, the low levels of 

testosterone can cause many unpleasant 

symptoms including loss 

of muscle mass, fatigue, low libido, 

erectile dysfunction. Furthermore, 

excessive estrogen in men raises 

body fat and can contribute to diabetes 

and high lipids. 

- BodyLogic.com 

The last thing men who are old and 

growing older need is excess estrogen. 

Too much estrogen accelerates 

the aging process. The antidote for 

excessive estrogen is intense physical 

exercise and a tight nutritional 

game plan; one devoid of any estrogen-producing 

foods or drinks. 

Eating the wrong kind of food promotes 

estrogen production. Many 

foods considered “healthy” are 

estrogen producers. The inconvenient 

fact is this: certain foods (and 

beverages) produce estrogen and 

should be avoided, particularly as 

we age. 



25


• White flour products 

• Soy 

• Sodas, alcohol 

• Refined foods, man-made industrial 

“foodstuffs” 

Soy foods contain high amounts 

of natural estrogen. Sugar or high 

fructose corn syrup-drenched sodas 

are estrogenic producers; beer 

and alcohol, chips and snacks, fast 

food, all the bad stuff, all the artificial 

foods and drinks regular 

people consume is loaded with 

estrogen. These foods and drinks 

fuel the production of estrogen. If 

you are on a Parrillo nutritional 

system diet, then you are starving 

the estrogen in your body by using 

it and not replenishing it. The Parrillo 

nutritional follower is already 

avoiding all the estrogen-producing 

foods and drinks listed. The 

quest to attain single digit body fat 

percentages requires we discard 

certain foods and liquids if we are 

serious and expect to be successful. 

The Parrillo dietary approach 

is anti-estrogenic. Hard, intense 

physical training stimulates the 

production of testosterone; train 

hard and create testosterone – don’t 

mess it up by eating estrogenicproducing 

food. 

Amplify the positive by eating estrogenic-neutral 

or estrogen-suppressing 

foods and supplements. 

Eat the way Parrillo recommends 

and excess estrogen will never be 

a problem for you. Intense exercise 

burns estrogen for fuel and as long 

as you don’t replace burnt estrogen 

with (nutrition-generated) new 

estrogen, you never accumulate 

enough estrogen to create those 

feminized traits that are so counterproductive 

to the pursuit and acquisition 

of low body fat, increased 

muscle size and additional power 

and strength. 

Hello Victor! 

This is Hans from East Germany 

– remember how we partied very 

hard after the world championships 

in Berlin in 1997 – remember 

the strip club that the locals took 

us to? Anyway – we shall catch up 

Certain foods 

produce estrogen, 

so avoid white flour 

products, soy, 

sodas, alcohol, and 

refined foods, 

especially as you age. 

in private – I will call next month 

after I return from the Congo. 

What did you think of the Olympic 

weightlifting? It seems that many 

of the old records are still standing 

– these modern athletes seem weak 

as kittens! 

Hans-the-Red, East Berlin 

Yes I remember you Hans…actually 

you were quite unforgettable; 

particularly when you had to be 

billy-clubbed into submission by 

two goons from the local SS police 

force after you grabbed that 

lap dancer’s posterior and tried 

to put teeth marks on her body in 

strategic spots. You Germans are a 

strange tribe of white people with 

suppressed fetishes. East Germans 

are suppressed-cubed and therefore 

all the more likely to start fights, act 

out and generally be obnoxious trying 

to “fit in” and “be hip.” I think 

humanity as a species has peaked; 

Tarentenko’s all time world record 

in the clean and jerk is 585 pounds, 

the most weight ever lifted from 

floor to overhead by a human. That 

mark was set in 1988! Since then 

no one has matched or equaled it 

since! 

Keep in mind that when Alekseev 

set the world record in the clean and 

jerk at 567 in 1976, we all thought a 

600 pound clean and jerk was just 

around the corner. Now, 36 years 

later, the all time world record 

has only advanced 29 pounds and 

there has been NO advancement 

in twenty five years! I could cite a 

dozen other examples…the broad 

jump record has stood for over a 

decade; the all time shot-put record 

(Randy Barnes, 72+ feet) has stood 

for nearly 20 years; a tremendous 

number of all time best deadlift records, 

set 20 and 30 years ago, still 

stand. I could go on all day but essentially 

I think the evidence is in 

and conclusive: as a species we’ve 

gone about as far as humanly possible. 

Incremental increases? Sure! 

Massive improvements? Quantum 

leaps forward? No way! 


www.parrillo.com 1-800-344-3404 Performance Press / October 2012 27

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Carey Jonas - Parrillo Performance

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