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Still punching at 58, a screen legend returns to his
boxing and training roots with a reality television
show and a new line of supplements. In the peculiar
world of Hollywood, typecast represents the ultimate
irony.
Actors and actresses long for a role that will be
embraced, a character that resonates with the public
and transcends the realm of fiction and becomes a
living, breathing part of the culture. Then, when such
an epiphany is achieved, that same performer shuns the
attention, longing to be seen outside that light. Yet
for the man who created one of the most revered movie
personas in history--a celluloid hero who arguably
spearheaded the massive fitness revolution of the
'80s--such is not the case.
In fact, Sylvester Stallone has unabashedly returned
to the mantle of his greatest cinematic creation five
times, and now, on the precipice of a sixth Rocky
film, he's revisiting the spheres where his star
shines brightest: boxing and fitness.
With The Contender, a reality TV series that
chronicles aspiring pugilists as they vie for a $1
million payday, and InStone Nutrition, a line of
supplements bearing his name and likeness, Stallone,
now 58, returns to his roots, ready to once again
inspire millions to follow in his muscular footsteps.
To him, Rocky is not an albatross but a remarkable
icon that even he can appreciate. The Rocky Factor
For the past 20-plus years, Stallone has continued to
make films in the action genre, with hits such as
First Blood, Demolition Man, Cliffhanger, Tango &
Cash and his most recent box-office success, 2001's
Driven.
While he also made some unfortunate forays into
comedy--let's not forget Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot--Stallone
never turned his back on the hard-nosed, softhearted
brawler from Philly. After 1976's Rocky earned a Best
Picture Oscar, a one-in-a-million-shot if there ever
was one, he returned to the franchise in 1979, 1982,
1985 and 1990.
Speaking from his Los Angeles home, Stallone is quick
to acknowledge the reach of Balboa. Fans worship at
the altar of Rocky as an entity that pushed them into
the gym and changed their lives, and that suits the
man who brought him into existence just fine.
"It's not me, it's more of a...Rocky philosophy
that some of them have been affected by," he
says, trying to put words to the phenomenon. "For
instance, I went to the opening game of the
Philadelphia Eagles' new stadium this past year. I
came out for a moment just to wave to the crowd. When
the entire stadium erupted, I realized they weren't
erupting for Sylvester Stallone. Perish that thought.
It's Rocky. [They see Rocky] as representative of
their city. 'We don't give up. We put our head down
and keep punching.' That's what I think I symbolize to
people."
Coproducer of The Contender, Survivor's Mark Burnett
certainly hopes to capture that Rocky mojo. He called
Sly to bring him onboard for the show, which will make
its debut on NBC in January. "I asked Burnett,
'Are you sure you don't want someone who's more of a
boxing celebrity?'" Stallone recalls. "And
he said, 'No, what we're trying to do is bring
entertainment value, yes, but also tap into something
that you'll be identified with for all your
days.'"
Sly was intrigued by the prospect of creating a
real-life Rocky scenario for one lucky fighter. He'll
serve as a mentor who circulates among the athletes,
while experts such as Sugar Ray Leonard work with the
16 contestants on the physical aspects of the sport.
"This provides an interesting venue to take
fiction and employ it in the world of reality,"
he says. "In other words, it gives a chance to
people who have perhaps never had a break or have let
opportunity slip through their fingers. This is about
more than boxing; it's a kind of fantasy come
true."
Walking The Walk
Concurrently, Stallone has immersed himself in a
decidedly different project--launching a supplement
company, InStone Nutrition. "InStone has been
something I've thought about for 7-8 years," he
says. "I've experimented so much with my body,
training and diet-wise, coming up with different looks
for movies. For instance, in Cliffhanger I had to
develop more leg and shoulder power; in Rocky 3 I got
down to 2.8 percent bodyfat; and of course Cop Land,
where I lost all that definition and gained 40
pounds."
One key in turning his vision into reality was a
hands-on approach. "I wanted to stand behind the
product by saying, 'I am the guinea pig,'" he
explains. "This isn't something that I'm just
putting my name on. I think that would be quite a
disappointment to people. I use the products, and I
can safely say, everything is extraordinary. Each of
these products is the best in the market in its
particular niche."
Making appearances for The Contender and promoting
InStone, Sly is holding steady at a chiseled 196
pounds, 4 to 7 percent bodyfat. Through the years,
he's learned an important lesson about diet and
training: Keep it simple. "I follow a
high-protein diet: Anything with a face, that's what I
eat, with something green next to it," he says.
"Over the years, my biggest flaw was overtraining.
In the gym six days a week, doing more sit-ups at
night...my body was in a constant state of breakdown.
Now I focus on a variety of exercises, working out
three times a week for 90 minutes per session. I
really feel good--much stronger than I've ever felt,
actually. Something's working."
That something will be revealed in depth in the coming
months, as he takes the lessons he's learned over the
years and puts them to paper. "It'll be a
retrospective of how I've trained," he says of a
book he has in the works. "From the first time I
changed my body for a role, going from 162 to around
200 to play the gang bully in [1974's] Lords of
Flatbush, to Rocky, how all that was done--what
worked, what didn't, the trials and tribulations.
Hopefully the end result of my experimentation is that
I make it easier for other people to transform
themselves."
One More Round
While Stallone pursues his offscreen projects, looming
on the horizon may be one final step into the ring for
Rocky Balboa. The script has been written, but after
some wrangling with MGM Studios, the project has yet
to receive a green light. "It's being postponed
for all the wrong reasons," Sly says.
"Hopefully it will prevail."
Stallone sees elements of Rocky 6 playing out in the
real-life fight to bring it to the big screen.
"Rocky 6 is a story that deals with
skepticism," he explains. "When we reach a
certain age, society says, 'You've had your moment.'
But a lot of people aren't ready to move on. They want
to try something they've never done before or go back
to something they haven't finished."
Sly pauses, perhaps reflecting on how the evolution of
Rocky, in many ways mirrors his own growth as an actor
and individual. "You may not have the speed, but
you still want to run the race. Think of George
Foreman winning the heavyweight title [at 45], or John
Glenn going into space [at 77]...your pursuits are
what keep you vital. Society may say step aside and
let youth be served. I say they've got to move you out
of the way first."
Sylvester Stallone: Fitness's Renaissance
ManSLY WORKOUT
A sample "pull" day from Stallone's program,
provided by his personal trainer, Gunnar Peterson,
CSCS:
Angled Weighted Pull-Up
(3-4 sets, 6-12 reps) After a warm-up set with
bodyweight, Sly dons a weighted vest; he alternates
pulling his chin first toward his right hand, then his
left.
Unilateral Low-Cable Row
(3-4 sets, 14-16 reps) Sly uses a special machine with
two weight stacks side-by-side and holds a D-handle in
each hand. He does 10 reps together, then alternates
for 4-6 more reps.
Plate-Loaded Machine Shrug
(3 sets, 6-12 reps) Sly works up to 400-plus pounds.
T-Bar Row
(3 sets, 10-12 reps) Done with one end of a barbell
placed in a corner, Sly reps one arm at a time.
Squat-Jump Pull-Up
(3 sets, 8 reps) Using a pull-up bar that's at least 8
feet high, Sly does bodyweight squats, jumping from
the floor on the upward push and grasping the bar. He
does a pull-up, drops back to the floor into another
squat and continues for reps.
Uneven Standing Barbell Curl
(3 sets, 8-12 reps) Sly holds the barbell with one
hand in the center, one nearer one side, so one arm is
taking on more of the load. To work each side evenly,
he switches grip position mid-set.
Strive Curl Machine
(3 sets, 12-18 reps per set) Sly adjusts the
"Strive" cam three times per set for
different stimuli on his bi's, completing 4-6 reps per
setting.
Dumbbell Hammer Curl
(3 sets, 18-30 reps) Sly starts by lifting both
dumbbells for 8-10 reps, then finishes with rapid,
alternating reps for 10-20 more.
Standing Calf-Machine Shrug
(3 sets, 6-12 reps) With feet planted and body rigid,
Sly shrugs to raise the shoulder pads. Sly does
weighted ab training between exercises and finishes
with forearm moves.
By Michael Berg
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