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Featured, Interviews Getting down with “Old Superman”: Interview with Ed Cook (Popps)
March 2nd, 2010, 11:03:34
Jeron
Ed Cook (Popps)Age: 56
Years Training: 8 yrs
Stats: CELLUCOR Sponsored Athlete. www.cellucor.com Enter promo code, oldsuperman, for a 10% off all products.
Connect with Popps:
Bodyspace
Bodyblogs
Facebook
Twitter
Myspace
What originally got you into training and bodybuilding?
Bodyblogs
Myspace
What originally got you into training and bodybuilding?
The Doctor said to change life style or die young. Went to the gym that very day and joined. Lost 52#s from 243 to 191 pounds. Then started to put on muscle. Now I'm 228, bulking up. I must admit, that at age 36 to 40yrs, I was in excellent BB shape! Just quit for personal reasons. After I balanced my emotional and spiritual life, it was time to take care of my body again. JUST IN TIME!!!
Were you always in such amazing shape?
At 50 I started to prepare to compete in bodybuilding. Since then I have been striving to improve my body every year.
What was the biggest thing that helped to keep you motivated throughout your transformation?
That is a tough question. There are times when I'm prepping for a competition about a few weeks out, that I question "why am I doing this?" Yet, otherwise I'm driven to improve in size and symmetry most of the time.
My coach, Sean Calder is a real inspiration for me. I trust him completely. Brandon Lyons was and still is my trainer and keeps me humble and drives me beyond my own belief to do more!
How has bodybuilding changed your life?
When I first started to get myself in shape at 48 and walked out of my Doctors office, down deep inside my heart, I knew I was going to change my body forever. Yet I had no idea that it would lead to this!
Mostly I'm inspired and humbled by all the people who continue to support me.
What do you say to people who use their age as an excuse to not get in shape or push themselves?
I just have never considered that age is an issue. I'm amazed at some guys who, even while in their 30's, think it is too late to change their lives. I guess it's all in your mind. If you feel and act old, then I guess you are. If you think and feel young, then you are!
I don't try and convince a guy that it isn't too late to change. I just have them read my blogs and look at my progress pic's. I let them convince themselves!
Besides "What supplements do I need to take to look like you," which you probably get quite often, what is one piece of advice you would like to share with our readers?
For many, people they tell me, "If I could just get that six pack! Then I can capture my youth!" or;
"When I get into that size 6 dress! Then I will be happy!"
"If I could just get rid of my big a$$! Then I could wear jeans again!"
"When I get rid of the beer gut! Then I would be happy again!"
For Popps it’s, "Gaining 15 lbs of muscle!!! That will be so great! And I will be satisfied! I will be sooooo happy!"
Ask yourself. "Will it really make me happy? Will it be worth it? Will I be satisfied? Will it??!!"
It’s not the prize at the end of the journey that will give us long term happy. Nooooo!!!
It is, what happens on the path of our goal that is important.
Happiness is only going to last if we pay attention to what we learn as we travel on this path of bbing, to our goal.
Happiness won’t last when I leave the stage with my trophy and pro card invitation. O ya! It will feel great for the moment! Euphoric if you will, for the moment only.
Happiness WILL last though, from the thoughts and memories of the accomplishments that happen along our way. The relationships we forged. The encouragement given and received.
Will we always be happy when we reach our goals and recognize what happens along the journey? Well as the old Quaker would say, "The only person that is truly happy all the time, is the village idiot!"
You can’t be happy or content a 100% of the time with your body. Yet you can be most of the time. And you can be happy most of the time when you remember what has brought you to this point.
You will be happy as you ponder the lessons learned. The relationships forged. The knowledge that "YES!!! I HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO SUCCEED AND DO WHAT EVER I SET MY MIND TO!"
So! This coming year, what will make you happy? Not short term happiness though! Long term happiness.
Mine will be to give more help to those that need my help. I get asked all the time for help in diet and fitness, and in the past, I have tried to NOT make eye contact and keep to myself. I"m not saying that it is bad if you do this, yet it is time for me to give back what I have learned and experience to lift those that are trying to better themselves.
I believe that true happiness comes from giving away what you love most. I LOVE BODYBUILDING! So that is what I will do. That is my goal.
"When I get into that size 6 dress! Then I will be happy!"
"If I could just get rid of my big a$$! Then I could wear jeans again!"
"When I get rid of the beer gut! Then I would be happy again!"
For Popps it’s, "Gaining 15 lbs of muscle!!! That will be so great! And I will be satisfied! I will be sooooo happy!"
Ask yourself. "Will it really make me happy? Will it be worth it? Will I be satisfied? Will it??!!"
It’s not the prize at the end of the journey that will give us long term happy. Nooooo!!!
It is, what happens on the path of our goal that is important.
Happiness is only going to last if we pay attention to what we learn as we travel on this path of bbing, to our goal.Happiness won’t last when I leave the stage with my trophy and pro card invitation. O ya! It will feel great for the moment! Euphoric if you will, for the moment only.
Happiness WILL last though, from the thoughts and memories of the accomplishments that happen along our way. The relationships we forged. The encouragement given and received.
Will we always be happy when we reach our goals and recognize what happens along the journey? Well as the old Quaker would say, "The only person that is truly happy all the time, is the village idiot!"
You can’t be happy or content a 100% of the time with your body. Yet you can be most of the time. And you can be happy most of the time when you remember what has brought you to this point.
You will be happy as you ponder the lessons learned. The relationships forged. The knowledge that "YES!!! I HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO SUCCEED AND DO WHAT EVER I SET MY MIND TO!"
So! This coming year, what will make you happy? Not short term happiness though! Long term happiness.
Mine will be to give more help to those that need my help. I get asked all the time for help in diet and fitness, and in the past, I have tried to NOT make eye contact and keep to myself. I"m not saying that it is bad if you do this, yet it is time for me to give back what I have learned and experience to lift those that are trying to better themselves.
I believe that true happiness comes from giving away what you love most. I LOVE BODYBUILDING! So that is what I will do. That is my goal.
You were named Bodybuilding.com Bodyspace Member of the Year, have won several local shows, and took 3rd at Masters Nationals. What are your plans for the future?
I want to head back to Pittsburgh, PA July of 2011 and compete in the NPC Masters National again, yet be ripped and swole at 225 lbs. I want that IFBB Pro Card.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
What it's all about!!
I get about 100's requests for friends adds, messages and emails a month on bb.com. alone not to mention the peeps in the gym, and other social networks. Every week it is more then the the week before. Many are helpless and hopeless. Almost everyday I get a man PM me, some are just down right desperate. Thank God I’ve put my best posts on my blog. I send em there if they haven’t read them as most everything about me is on them. It almost always answers their questions plus give them much more.
Yet one day, and I can’t even remember doing it, I must have given a certain man a bit more attention. He PM’d me and told me how his life has changed in the last year. He started out by telling me how he PM’d me a year ago desperate for help. I sent him to my blogs as usual and he said they changed his life forever. He said I continued to encourage him, again I can’t really remember doing it, and every time he got discouraged he’d go to my profile and blogs and get inspired again.
Well then he said, "Since you’ve helped me starting a year ago, at 40 years old, I’ve lost over a 100lb, got in shape, landed the job of a lifetime and met the girl of my dreams and getting married! Thank you for giving me my life!"
Yet one day, and I can’t even remember doing it, I must have given a certain man a bit more attention. He PM’d me and told me how his life has changed in the last year. He started out by telling me how he PM’d me a year ago desperate for help. I sent him to my blogs as usual and he said they changed his life forever. He said I continued to encourage him, again I can’t really remember doing it, and every time he got discouraged he’d go to my profile and blogs and get inspired again.
Well then he said, "Since you’ve helped me starting a year ago, at 40 years old, I’ve lost over a 100lb, got in shape, landed the job of a lifetime and met the girl of my dreams and getting married! Thank you for giving me my life!"
I was crying like a baby after I read it. All the trophy’s in the world. All the pats on the back! All the looks of admiration! All the acclimation’s from the masses I get daily on my profile…. PALE…… PALE… in comparison to what this man gave to me that day. I walked around for several days with a goofy humbled grin on my face.
This bbing stuff is all fine and good, yet it is the giving back, the friendships forged, that are what is REAL in the sport. It truly is the journey and not the prize at the end that will last forever.
Thanks you for spending the time to share your insights and amazing experiences!
Popps at the 2008 Masters Nationals
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well, have been trying to get look lean yet not loose too much weight in the process which is hard!
It can be tough, but it’s definately possible if your diet is dialed in!