I discovered Vince back in 1978 when I sent away for one of his courses that I had seen advertised in the back of one of the muscle magazines.
I wasn't even a bodybuilder or a weightlifter - I was just tired of being fat.
Anyway I started reading "Blueprint for the Bodybuilder" and became so engrossed in his teachings that I couldn't put the book down.
I followed everything he said to the best of my understanding at that time. I even found a farmer who supplied me with raw eggs and raw milk for $2 a gallon since those unpasteurized products could not be sold legally here in upstate NY.
Anyway, I trained hard - mostly for definition rather than bulk.
I also trained alone - no music - no conversation - every day at 5 AM before work. It became almost like meditation, four days a week. The gym was nearly always vacant at that time of day.
I never had any kind of one on one live coaching, but on one occasion Vince answered a couple of questions I had- in his own handwriting! I never forgot that.
From then on I never paid attention to any other training philosophies other than the ones Vince outlined in that book. Afterwards I sent for a couple of other publications from him. I never got really big, but I achieved incredible results for my efforts nevertheless.
This is the only picture I have of myself taken in 1984 at 30 years of age and 192 pounds. Just about the time the Rocky III movie came out. As I look back now I think, "Jeeezzz, I could have been a contender!"
When people asked me how I did it I tell them, "eggs, butter and beef".
I was in the best shape of my life because I listened to Vince.
Comments
Not sure about the no music thing though.