Publisher’s Letter: Issues and Answers

The passing of Mike Mentzer is a personal loss for me and a loss for the sport of bodybuilding. Mike had been a constant in the bodybuilding world for more than 25 years’first as a great competitor and then as the foremost proponent of Heavy Duty, what was later called HIT, or high-intensity training. Mike’s interview with The Sandwich, the last interview he ever gave, is almost eerie in the context of his passing. Whether you enjoy Mike’s philosophy or not, this is one deep and diagnostic interview. It starts on page 196, and it’s a wonderful final window on a complex and driven mind. Mike, we miss your presence, and I admired your focus on your ideals.

Brian Batcheldor was a notorious underground steroid drug dealer and self-taught expert on the often-murky world of bodybuilding drugs. In some ways Brian can be equated with the late Dan Duchaine, someone who was fully fascinated with the pharmacology of bodybuilding and strength yet had a high level of focused ethics. I know that sounds like a contradiction, but after you read this second part of the interview, you’ll understand what I mean. The Sandwich does it again with an offbeat Q&A that really gets to the core of how Batcheldor thinks. Batcheldor’s drug philosophy is his alone’as a matter of personal and IRONMAN policy we do not suggest or condone illegal drug use of any kind. Read it all starting on page 242.

Creatine has changed bodybuilding for the better. It’s one of the key items on every serious bodybuilder’s list of essential food supplements. From the beginning of the discovery of its significance as a bodybuilding substance, there’s been an evolution in the processing and formulation of creatine products. The desire to maximize the uptake of creatine in the muscle drives that process. As the number of users grew and more people had experience with creatine, some very interesting and divergent results occurred. As in any ongoing development, some are dead ends, some cost more than they’re worth, and some get it right. The evolution will continue, but to see where creatine supplementation is right now, read ‘Creatine Revolution’ by Nick Worrell on page 154.

Part 2 of Michael Gundill’s ‘Hypertrophic Postactivation’ begins on page 128, and in it he delves ever deeper into the challenge of maximum fiber recruitment. The simple fact is, the more muscle fibers you can recruit, the faster and bigger you’ll grow. That’s what bodybuilding is all about. Michael’s research always pushes to the edge of the known, and he puts his own spin on his findings to help you sort out the unknown. One thing is certain, however: His research can help you push the limits of your own size and strength.

That’s just a taste of some of the features. You’ll also find the usual supporting cast of great departments. Please feel free to e-mail your comments on the latest issue to any of the staff listed at right. We enjoy your feedback and use it to help make this magazine better. IM