professional athletes are in many ways
00:02
our culture's holy men they give
00:05
themselves over to a pursuit endure
00:08
great privation and pain to actualize
00:10
themselves at it and enjoy a
00:12
relationship to perfection that we
00:14
admire reward and love to watch even
00:17
though we have no desire to walk that
00:19
road ourselves in other words they do it
00:23
for us sacrifice themselves for our we
00:27
imagine Redemption David Foster Wallace
00:34
what is a day in the life of a
00:36
bodybuilder really like since 2004 I
00:41
have been attempting to strip away the
00:42
hype and misinformation to reveal the
00:45
gritty day-to-day existence of those who
00:47
participate in this most demanding of
00:49
sports I have been fascinated by the
00:52
extreme devotion and dedication that
00:54
bodybuilders must have in order to excel
00:58
in my documentaries I have strived to
01:01
find subjects who exemplifying the true
01:03
nature of the sport can articulate their
01:06
thoughts about it and are brave enough
01:08
to show the world that difficulties as
01:09
well as the triumphs no one fits that
01:13
bill better than Kai Green for this
01:16
video series an accompanying magazine
01:18
article a still photographer and I
01:20
followed Kai through his daily routine
01:22
for several days to show as much as
01:25
possible what life is like not only for
01:27
the professional bodybuilder at the top
01:29
of his game but also for the beginner
01:31
the amateur and frankly for anyone who
01:34
wants to succeed in transforming their
01:36
body and pushing it beyond its natural
01:38
limits
01:40
in the beginning over the years I never
01:43
spent a tremendous amount of time
01:44
sorting out my new shit details like
01:48
sodium those details that come later on
01:53
those start moments that fill the
01:55
highlight reels and you know leave an
01:58
audience in are the watch those seconds
02:02
are built on thousands and thousands and
02:04
thousands of hours that a lot of people
02:07
wouldn't think are worth adding to a
02:09
highlight reel this is a day in the life
02:15
of a bodybuilder
02:27
hey what's your day like it's not very
02:30
interesting you consider these only
02:33
piece of cardio equipment for two hours
02:35
a day spends another hour or two cooking
02:38
you know practice food another two hours
02:41
in commute to and from your gym oh damn
02:44
if you train twice a day or three how
02:47
does that start to look
02:57
a lot of times these the day in the life
03:01
of opportunities bring a lot of anxiety
03:04
for me because there's a lot of
03:07
expectation a lot of times of what
03:10
you're supposed to be this accomplished
03:11
celebrated bodybuilder and you know why
03:16
don't you have what Jay has why don't
03:18
you you know live like he'll he does why
03:20
while you were a hoodie old fucking time
03:22
you know what's that thing on your face
03:24
you know we were you know where are you
03:27
from
03:28
you know and then in order to try to
03:31
explain that you almost end up looking
03:33
like you're coming from another planet
03:36
kai green is unique among today's stars
03:40
of bodybuilding he rejects the usual
03:42
trappings of success and prefers to live
03:44
simply still living and working in the
03:46
downtrodden Brooklyn neighborhood he has
03:48
known for most of his life when flex
03:51
magazine proposed this day in the life
03:53
video series kind was adamant about not
03:56
concentrating on the flash and rewards
03:58
of the sport which can be elusive and
04:00
few foremost but rather on the daily
04:03
existence that got him to this place if
04:06
the world only got a chance to see you
04:09
on stage receiving top honors before
04:13
they get a chance to see this or you
04:16
sleeping on someone's couch just
04:19
scraping pennies together so you could
04:21
afford to train 6 hours a day to bounce
04:24
and gig some stripping hustle or
04:27
something like that it becomes very
04:29
difficult to really understand
04:33
moment of triumph when it comes in these
04:36
videos you won't be seeing any fancy
04:38
sports cars or marbling chrome kitchens
04:40
no personal deep tissue massage or
04:43
highly paid nutritionist instead you
04:46
will see what has been a day in the life
04:48
for Kai Greene for 20 years and to a
04:50
certain extent still is and it all
04:53
starts here in a rundown dollar store on
04:56
Flatbush Avenue a critical tool getting
05:01
ahead in his game preparation is poker
05:07
where it is critical to get up in the
05:13
morning early or go to bed a little bit
05:17
later at night cook you from back good
05:22
man hack a lot of bodybuilders go off
05:27
track right here so what I'm going to do
05:31
today is show you this is how it's done
05:35
so you get yourself in trouble
05:37
I don't have to be very flashy
05:48
even though Kai's success has enabled
05:51
him to move into a townhouse in a nicer
05:53
area nearby he instead takes us back to
05:56
the apartment in the projects that he
05:57
still keeps strewn with the remnants of
06:03
the recent move and cluttered with his
06:05
artwork and bodybuilding mementos
06:06
this was Kai's home base for many years
06:09
as he struggled to survive first thing I
06:14
would do for years you get up in the
06:17
morning and follow some basic
06:20
disciplines that just end up becoming
06:23
habit as a result in becoming a habit
06:27
you end up feeling like your day isn't
06:29
complete without doing these things in
06:35
the beginning over the years I never
06:37
spent a tremendous amount of time
06:39
sorting out my new shoe details like so
06:46
do you know have details that come later
06:49
on is it 10 grams of protein more or 10
06:53
grams of protein less okay just get
06:57
started I can take a bag of the frozen
07:00
vegetable it can be string beans
07:03
broccoli throw in the microwave as Kai
07:10
expounds on the fundamentals of
07:12
bodybuilding the temperature and that
07:14
cramped kitchen keeps rising and rising
07:16
by my estimate after 20 minutes it's at
07:20
least 120 degrees in there I and my
07:22
light t-shirt am soon drenched in sweat
07:25
it Chi and his hoodie and knit cap seems
07:27
unfazed by the sauna why you running the
07:31
other burners
07:32
as to work today water wait I'm very
07:38
comfortable in a very warm very warm
07:41
environment I used to be in here doing
07:44
cardio with the oven on my sweet
07:48
potatoes cooking all the partners on a
07:50
stove or place so hot think the devil
07:54
was sitting over there talking to you I
07:55
do really want to do this cardio sweat
08:02
just pouring audience would never see
08:06
that they'll see you on stage the day of
08:09
the competition though and see you you
08:11
know receiving top honors and then say I
08:14
want to do that I want to be that guy
08:18
and that's why I think is so important
08:21
to show this like this because when I
08:24
grew up in and I grew up and I looked at
08:25
the magazines in our soil stuff I saw
08:27
the Sun let the celebrated athletes of
08:30
the day with the big contracts and I saw
08:35
that I saw them in these nice kitchens
08:38
you know able to cook each meal fresh in
08:44
their more comfortable relaxed calm kind
08:50
of explain these things to the camera
08:54
and I grew up thinking that that that
08:59
picture was was was the picture and I
09:04
always wanted that picture but I
09:05
recognize that now being on the other
09:08
side of that wow you know this is the
09:11
work though that will produce the
09:14
desired end result it's you know being
09:17
able climbing the trenches now when it's
09:20
not convenient it's not comfortable when
09:22
the kitchen isn't very beautiful yet you
09:24
know but recognizing that it's very very
09:28
important to get these meals and have
09:29
them with you once you cook these meals
09:32
and pack them up now when you leave the
09:34
house you have now eliminated the
09:36
possibility of being stuck without your
09:39
meal
09:39
and having to go to three for six hours
09:45
before eating again there's a certain
09:49
amount of work that we really do have to
09:51
take on ourselves and not expect for
09:56
someone to do for you the best coaches
09:59
the best supplement company like muscle
10:04
meds the best product you can ever have
10:07
available to you will be of little
10:10
resource to you if you're not able to do
10:14
it work is required of you when it's
10:17
time to do it
10:20
struggle some broccoli here three ounces
10:24
there only takes about two or three
10:28
minutes in the microwave you're just
10:30
you're cold vegetables you know they can
10:33
be string beans they can be asparagus
10:36
broccoli and put another four ounces of
10:39
chicken breasts in here with this I can
10:44
add 1/2 of sweet potato sweet potato I
10:47
can have in even the oven now bacon or I
10:50
can have in my microwave for nine
10:52
minutes I can put four sweet potato in
10:54
the microwave give them nine minutes
10:58
depending on how big they are but we
11:00
don't have to get lost in my new show
11:02
real life real you know in the trenches
11:05
bodybuilding means that you have to be
11:07
inventive you have to be a problem
11:11
solver you have to be able to
11:12
troubleshoot you know because at the end
11:16
of the day it's your responsibility to
11:18
stay on on target with your goal your
11:21
goals your dreams are important to you
11:23
your mother may love you but she doesn't
11:25
care whether or not your arms are 24
11:27
inches she's still going to love you
11:29
well maybe most mom's but you know but
11:35
your dream of having your arms 20 over
11:36
20 inches is your dream so what's up to
11:40
you to cultivate that to protect it to
11:42
nurture it so it's your responsibility
11:44
to come up with ways to find out how you
11:47
can eat every two and a half hours
11:50
without incident
11:52
all the beginners all the real you know
11:54
fledgling amateurs that have grand grand
11:58
expectations of where they like to go in
12:00
the sport man you got to develop your
12:03
tools you got to develop the use and
12:05
awareness of your of your instrument you
12:07
got to develop these skills here I'm not
12:11
talking about focusing on how many grams
12:13
of protein as much as I'm how many grams
12:16
of carbs or how many grams what I'm how
12:19
many grams of fat what I'm focusing on
12:21
here though is the development of
12:23
character which comes which speaks to
12:26
your ability to follow through and start
12:29
to string together days of efficient
12:31
action from the very basic level in
12:34
order to be able to have your food with
12:37
you every day all day so you are able to
12:40
eat on time keeps even allows you to
12:43
stay in an anabolic state now now you
12:45
start talking about the things that
12:46
scientifically can be can support
12:49
cellular growth lean muscular muscle
12:51
repair but if you are still working
12:54
without the strength of character yet
12:58
without the ability to follow through
13:00
then all that complex conversation about
13:04
those Sciences will be very very little
13:08
with nothing to you if you still are not
13:11
able to get up cook your meals pack them
13:15
have them with you and follow through
13:18
with eating them every two and a half to
13:20
three hours and it was these tools that
13:23
allowed me to turn around and be ready
13:26
when the next level of my help came when
13:31
when the next mentorship that will come
13:35
along and say hey look Wow you know you
13:38
got some real talent I want to invest in
13:40
you I put some time in in helping you
13:41
call to Vegas they didn't come because
13:43
you were just walking around aimlessly
13:47
looking for someone to help you this
13:50
work you got to do on your own and you
13:52
got to be willing to to bust your ass
13:54
and get it done not have the excuses
13:57
about well I can't because I'm I don't
13:59
know how to cook or I can't because I
14:01
don't I'm not a nutritionist I got a I
14:03
got a work wait till I can
14:05
you've got money to pay a nutritionist
14:07
and then I'll turn pro no you do the
14:10
things that you can do to the best of
14:13
your ability but I'm just saying this if
14:17
you got big dreams and you want to do
14:20
something really big something that's
14:21
going to demand your best and all of
14:23
that stuff and you're expecting to work
14:26
with you know some of the giant names in
14:29
the bodybuilding industry hey I got big
14:32
dreams I want to be mr. Olympia one day
14:34
I want to compete in the Arnold Classic
14:36
you know what I'll start and uh I'll
14:40
just go get one of the big names like
14:42
George Pharaoh or Han Iran by Chad
14:47
Nichols I'll get Dave Palumbo one of
14:50
those guys to to help me out through my
14:52
diet and life will life will be great
14:55
after that Charles glass they'll make me
15:01
a champion you got a set then coming the
15:06
the idea of developing yourself in
15:09
gaining mastery of these skills you know
15:13
your discipline time management you know
15:20
those things are critical
15:22
without those in place even even the
15:27
great supplement company get the great
15:29
powerful supplement will be of little
15:33
support to you without some basic
15:35
fundamentals that are required of you to
15:38
already have possession that's the truth
15:41
no one should have to stand over you all
15:43
day did you eat what time's your next
15:45
meal hey man are you on top of your
15:47
schedule are you staying true to your
15:49
your path there's at the end of the day
15:53
it's just not that important to
15:55
everybody else and if it's more
15:57
important to other people than it is you
15:59
then there's a large part of your better
16:01
potential that will not be attempt now
16:05
funny thing about Tupperware even if you
16:07
get like really expensive Tupperware one
16:09
thing that I've learned is it always
16:10
give it enough time it will always leak
16:14
something will happen whether it's the
16:16
heat in
16:17
the bag the jolting your bag got bumped
16:20
when you put it in the trunk of your car
16:21
the thing got tipped upside down the
16:23
homeless man kicked you and knocked all
16:26
over the flat form on the train the
16:27
possibility is very large that it will
16:29
always open so um I put my stuff in
16:34
garbage bags tie my foot up in the
16:36
garbage bag before putting it in on my
16:39
bag one it'll help you be able to save a
16:43
lot of the food bags you got I don't
16:46
know if you've never done this before
16:47
what happens is with a full bag food
16:50
spills in them sometimes condensation
16:52
for an inside of the bag they'll produce
16:55
mold and they fall apart it can become
16:57
very not nice in there particularly if
17:00
you're not putting your stuff in garbage
17:02
bags and plastic bag and trying to
17:04
reinforce them to stop the seepage
17:06
because eventually stuff just does see
17:09
even the really really really good
17:11
tougher work armed with his nutrition
17:15
for the day we head out when I was a kid
17:18
they used to tell you how to get in the
17:20
elevator when you get on the elevator
17:24
and we're not to get on the elevator you
17:27
know some people you know suppose get on
17:29
the elevator with you know so you need
17:31
to velop very quick very good sense of
17:34
judgement and character look up I'll
17:38
wait for the next one but I look getting
17:41
elevated I look across and I see the
17:43
image that I've grown into that would
17:45
have been the image as a boy I would
17:47
have been told not to get on the
17:48
elevator because now you're growing up
17:51
and you're you see these changes
17:54
physically in the mirror every day and
17:56
at some point you know you you have to
17:59
know that the very thing that you've
18:02
been taught to be afraid of to have
18:05
disdain for you've now grown into you
18:08
look like despite his intimidating look
18:11
on these streets this gentle Hulk of a
18:13
man with his trademark red hoodie is a
18:15
familiar sight and he can't walk very
18:17
far without being greeted by a fan
18:19
or a friend
18:21
your master now you getting it you're
18:23
getting it done good dude
18:25
all right up as we drive to our next
18:30
stop we are reminded of an important
18:32
lesson which just happens to be the
18:34
cornerstone of Kai's philosophy this
18:38
body builders day in the life has just
18:40
begun
18:42
coming up Kai teaches us a lesson in
18:46
humility every 9dan yanira tweak our
18:49
great body builder but always look for
18:52
what he can improve on and no body
18:54
builders day is complete without a trip
18:56
to the gym later we discover the true
18:59
meaning of hardcore
19:27
on Saturday afternoons in Brooklyn an
19:30
assortment of bodybuilders and figure
19:32
competitors gather for a posing class
19:35
Ian Mercer was a bodybuilder in the
19:37
1960s and is now a legendary expert on
19:40
the fine art of posing his class is an
19:43
exhausting two hours of nothing but
19:45
turning flexing turning and flexing he
19:49
runs his students through the mandatory
19:51
poses again and again while preparing
19:54
them for the judges scrutiny some quads
19:57
Ian walks the line like a drill sergeant
19:58
I want making minor and it sometimes not
20:01
so minor adjustment I keep everything
20:03
tight oil tight put an ad up open your
20:05
shoulders
20:06
that's it tiny leg no there we go hold
20:09
it tight coming on the line pull pull
20:13
what pull it set it set it lock it oil
20:18
oil oil oil tight tight
20:24
kick it up there we go pull tight pull
20:28
it
20:28
hold tight hold it spike it pop it pull
20:32
it out on conquer three one among this
20:35
group of hopefuls are those who have
20:37
already competed in bodybuilding
20:38
contests standing alongside those who
20:41
are anticipating stepping on stage for
20:43
the first time also here most Saturday's
20:46
is the two-time Arnold Classic winner
20:48
and mr. Olympia contender Kai Greene
20:58
how's it feel the second time around I
21:00
mean if the first nothing can ever
21:01
replace the first time as we all know
21:02
how's it out what does the feel like it
21:05
feels amazing and I encourage anyone
21:08
anyone out there who ever had an idea
21:12
thought about something that they'd like
21:14
to accomplish they'd like to but it but
21:16
they know it would demand the best of
21:19
the efforts and the most of their
21:21
concentration and everything that they
21:23
had inside of them in order to get there
21:25
make it happen I encourage you to do it
21:28
and when you do then you'll know exactly
21:31
how I feel it would be tempting for a
21:39
bodybuilder of KY stature to think that
21:41
he has arrived
21:42
and that he has learned all he needs to
21:44
know about his sport it's easy to let
21:46
the accolades and the glare of the
21:48
spotlight cause you to forget the work
21:50
that has gotten you here and the work
21:52
that yet needs to be done
21:53
kai knows better those star moments that
21:57
you know fill the highlight reels and
21:59
you know leave an audience in awe the
22:02
watch
22:02
oh wow play that again I want to see
22:04
that those seconds are built on
22:06
thousands and thousands and thousands of
22:08
hours that a lot of people wouldn't
22:12
think of worth you know adding to a
22:14
highlight reel basic fundamentals being
22:21
applied over and over
22:24
and over again getting up a certain time
22:27
doing certain things cooking your meals
22:30
going to you know do your cardio walking
22:34
through the disciplines keeping the
22:36
checklist and staying on top of those
22:40
are the things that you know you string
22:44
them together start to create a day of
22:46
efficient action more likely you are to
22:48
string those days or fish and action
22:50
together but more likely it will be that
22:52
you can set up your own success so far
22:57
in this day in the life Kai has done his
22:59
cardio early in the morning shop for
23:02
food cooked and pacted these are the
23:06
building blocks of any successful
23:07
bodybuilders daily routine and cannot be
23:10
skipped over or ignored these
23:12
fundamentals seem simple and KY can
23:15
sound repetitive when asked to talk
23:16
about it but it is this relentless
23:18
repetitive simplicity which is the
23:20
foundation of bodybuilding and can
23:22
sometimes be its most difficult aspect
23:26
some of kinds duties that are not a part
23:29
of the lives of most practicing
23:30
bodybuilders at the amateur level are
23:32
the obligations to his various sponsored
23:35
personal appearances guests posing
23:39
photo and video shoots like this one for
23:42
the train with chi instructional series
23:44
of all things that can interrupt the
23:46
schedule of day-to-day activity and yet
23:49
despite all of this those fundamentals
23:52
of bodybuilding must continue to take
23:54
precedence one of those fundamentals is
23:57
posing which brings us here to a
23:59
Saturday afternoon closing class they
24:01
greet attends once a week though this is
24:04
not a daily thing Chi feels that it is
24:06
an indispensable part of his weekly
24:08
routine everything tight good relax
24:11
catch this out take a deep breath to me
24:15
poison is the end of all the hard work
24:18
and all the dieting and everything it is
24:21
the you walk that you do to get your
24:26
degree I look at it like this you're in
24:30
school training every day and it's cool
24:33
you're doing your work no you go to the
24:35
show that's a graduation ceremony your
24:38
poison is your walk to get your diploma
24:40
right close to your body right hold
24:43
tight hold tight lock it pull it down
24:47
and set it let's go right all the way
24:51
down again set it hit it come on
24:53
even as a teenager Kyle was an excellent
24:56
poser breaking new ground by
24:58
incorporating hip-hop balloons into his
25:00
routine in 2007 Chi exploded onto the
25:04
scene with his now famous Dirty Diana
25:06
routine and has since taken posing in a
25:08
new direction
25:09
some people love it some people hate it
25:12
but no one can deny that Chi is anything
25:15
but an expert and yet he humbles himself
25:17
once a week and continues to learn from
25:20
his original teacher oh well put it back
25:23
to me every now and then you need a
25:26
tweak see bodybuilding is subjective a
25:29
good body builder or a great body
25:32
builder but always look for what he can
25:35
improve on nobody's perfect you can
25:37
always learn a little something you
25:39
might forget something and somebody can
25:42
see somebody forget a table of hey you
25:44
forget how to hit this you got to do it
25:46
back then you remember well yeah this
25:48
all used to joke before
25:49
and go back to old school and it works
25:50
sit on your hips ready honey I head
25:54
I'm dogs and tight leg of a choice sit
25:58
on that leg
25:59
sit back crunch I'm blow it up tidy up
26:03
right up right up squeeze them quad
26:07
punch all I'm straight sorry for that
26:12
for tight for here we go boil it and
26:17
then you setting here we go pull it pull
26:20
tight head up pull it the most muscular
26:24
I got to see every muscle please
26:26
legs track chest up arms get what was
26:31
important to hear to tighten them up
26:33
squeeze the whole time for tonight
26:35
good relax stand up thank you though Chi
26:40
is naturally a shy person he
26:42
nevertheless spends some time as the
26:44
center of attention once the session is
26:45
over he's used to it of course but he's
26:48
always sure to maintain his eating
26:50
schedule the next stop in our day in the
26:54
life is the gym as we drive the
26:58
exhaustion of the bodybuilding lifestyle
27:00
begins to show and Kai quietly nods off
27:03
it's got to be tough moving 275 or more
27:06
pounds of muscle around all day and it's
27:09
not over yet kai is very fortunate that
27:12
by this point in his career he can pick
27:15
and choose where he trains most days he
27:18
works out at the mecca of bodybuilding
27:19
on the East Coast
27:20
powerhouse gym run by husband-and-wife
27:24
bodybuilding legends Bev Francis and
27:26
Steve Weinberger at powerhouse Jim you
27:28
can never be sure which star of the
27:30
sport you may run into and fans of Chi
27:33
know that he is always willing to take
27:34
some time to say hello or take a picture
27:37
this gym has been the location of many
27:40
now famous video and photo shoots over
27:42
the years chances are if the photos in a
27:45
bodybuilding or fitness magazine article
27:47
were shot on the East Coast they were
27:49
shot here although those kinds of
27:52
pictures are beautiful and inspirational
27:53
and an example of the best that
27:55
bodybuilding has to offer
27:57
they don't really reflect what life is
27:59
like in the gym every day for
28:01
like hi green for one thing he would
28:05
never train shirtless and in fact only
28:07
reveals himself when urged to by a
28:09
photographer he always remains covered
28:12
up and does not practice posing in the
28:14
open areas of the gym many theories have
28:18
been advanced to explain the reasons for
28:19
Kai's ever-present hoodie but it's
28:22
really very simple and practical
28:24
thermogenesis that's my secret
28:27
I just feel comfortable I do sweat a lot
28:32
though so it's a little bit more
28:35
convenient and a t-shirt if I had a
28:37
t-shirt on I had all over the place I'd
28:40
have to be wiping stuff down I mean the
28:43
hoodie is more absorbent on this
28:45
particular day in the life Chi begins
28:47
his gym session not with cardio but with
28:49
a 12-minute warm-up for mind and body
28:51
he then performs a long and careful
28:54
abdominal and stretching routine his
28:56
focus during this time is so strong that
28:58
the photographer and I dare not
29:00
interrupt him beginning with the
29:03
documentary overkill I have made the
29:04
observation many times that Kai seems
29:07
like a monk he lives a sparse ascetic
29:10
existence by modern standards his deep
29:12
philosophizing the extreme dedication to
29:15
his goals his discomfort in the
29:17
spotlight and the ever-present hood all
29:19
add up to give him the aura of the holy
29:22
man of bodybuilding I'm not sure he sees
29:24
himself that way but it's hard not to
29:26
make the comparison especially today you
29:29
ever see like people chanting a Buddhist
29:32
doing things with their breathing and
29:35
using their breath to start to alters
29:37
their mind state and show on some level
29:41
in some way
29:43
it's simple 12 minutes or so before I
29:46
get started on the floor training this
29:49
moment allows me the ability to kind of
29:54
walk through some exercise like that
29:57
you're regulating your breathing by
30:00
using it as a device to be able to
30:02
suspend those thoughts for other things
30:04
to try to get focused on what I'm about
30:06
to do get done and then try to keep
30:11
moving with the continuum of my day as
30:14
with the posing class it is this kind of
30:17
meticulous attention to detail that
30:19
creates a champion but Chi greens life
30:21
and mindset were not only so controlled
30:24
and structured earlier in the day we
30:26
stopped at a diner
30:27
kai ate his prepared food of course and
30:30
he explained to us how bodybuilding
30:32
provided a very necessary catharsis for
30:35
a young man in a bad situation
30:36
everything else was a mess outside into
30:41
my life ISM was a mess socially inept
30:47
did not fit in and I feel like you fit
30:50
in and good management getting into
30:54
fights raging against Authority not
30:57
developing cultivating relationships
30:58
very well insecure just a whole lot of
31:02
things going on but and the gym
31:07
all those things that were a weakness
31:08
were strength to me I was able to summon
31:12
a tremendous amount of intense energy
31:20
just
31:22
and be intense to allow myself to be
31:24
intense about something like those other
31:27
times we ready explode and be angry and
31:29
violent ah take it kept bottle it up now
31:35
bring it into the gym millions moment
31:37
and please under under the weight I
31:43
think about being strong think about
31:46
dominating thing about overcoming and as
31:48
you're thinking that you want to act it
31:53
out just what happens why you're acting
31:56
it out though you're underneath that
31:57
same weight that would have crushed you
31:59
if you were thinking those weak thoughts
32:01
this thing is going question and then
32:05
another minds that maybe it would have
32:08
but you know no mind said just being
32:14
relaxed it's the date without fight yeah
32:17
he's drunk rushing but I bought me you
32:21
already exploded ticket you can bottle
32:22
it up went to the gym but you know
32:25
underneath the squat right all right in
32:27
the bench press under the iron okay and
32:30
release oh man isn't you're channeling
32:36
anger face it every tool will help you
32:40
get we trying to go once you are clear
32:43
about where you want to go the picture
32:48
that kite paints of his young self
32:49
contrasts greatly with the steady and
32:51
thoughtful Chi we see today but I get
32:54
the feeling that he wants to spread the
32:55
word to other young people about the
32:57
benefits not only of weight training but
33:00
of mind training as well that's critical
33:03
thinking skills that you're going to
33:04
need
33:05
more refined and developed as a man 10
33:08
15 years down the line in way you do not
33:10
see rightly another reality of the
33:13
bodybuilding day in the life is that
33:15
every day is not always a heavy day
33:17
today Kai concentrates on what are
33:19
called the finishing exercises in this
33:22
case the calves and forearms this is
33:25
necessary in order to create and perfect
33:27
a balanced overall look
33:33
other days KY lifts heavier and in our
33:37
final segment we will see a KY green leg
33:39
workout that for me redefined the word
33:41
hardcore it doesn't matter where you're
33:47
at at the time that you dare to dream
33:50
and it doesn't matter wings boom now six
33:55
let's go
33:56
just keep dreaming keep poking hi-yah
34:01
ten five and the better picture that
34:05
they're looking to create for yourself
34:07
it can be a tank
34:59
you
35:13
I grew up as a kid by looking to the
35:17
stars
35:18
not necessarily did I understand that
35:21
that information was going through a
35:23
filter when I see the photos all I see
35:27
is these photos believing that this is
35:30
my opportunity to look over the shoulder
35:32
of the star you know in the trenches and
35:35
see what they do not realizing that this
35:39
is now already gone through a filter and
35:41
the filter has been touched by the
35:45
expectation or the highly idealized
35:49
vision of what an editor or a person
35:53
who've been delegated the responsibility
35:55
to get the great photo and have the
35:58
great shoot thought would be important
36:00
and realize how that influences what I
36:02
saw you know it's the great photo shoot
36:05
and the great photos in their mind was
36:09
represented by hoisting these huge
36:11
poundage 'as looking incredibly veiny
36:14
and and and you know over-the-top
36:16
exaggerated muscular in great condition
36:19
the message I got was that they look
36:21
like this all year round and this is
36:23
what it looks like in the trenches when
36:25
he goes to the gym in his neighborhood
36:26
in his location and just goes to work so
36:28
I don't recognize that it's him on
36:31
location with the great lighting with
36:34
the great coming through this filter I
36:36
couldn't see I couldn't recognize the
36:38
filter so in short I would be influenced
36:41
to think the same way every day is a
36:43
sunny day every day the athletes in
36:45
shape and looking like he just tore out
36:47
of a selects magazine you know and every
36:51
day um you know he's hoisting these huge
36:53
poundage 'iz and if I am going to aspire
36:56
to look and be like that then every day
37:00
for me has to be that not realizing that
37:03
every day for even the subject is not
37:06
that and it could not be that and be
37:11
still realistically possible for him to
37:14
be the star that he is
37:25
Knight is descending on Brooklyn and
37:28
it's time to do legs when we began this
37:31
day in the life video and photo shoot
37:33
Kai asked us what we would like to see
37:35
when we got to the gym expecting that we
37:37
would want him to do a workout
37:38
specifically for the camera I told him I
37:42
don't want you to do anything special at
37:44
all in fact I want you to ignore me
37:46
completely I want to show exactly what a
37:48
real day-in-the-life workout is like for
37:50
Kai Green a little over two months
37:52
before the Olympia in keeping with the
37:55
theme of this series we went to a gym
37:57
near the projects that Tai has trained
37:59
in throughout his career we were joined
38:02
there by his current training partner
38:03
Julian Mundell an aspiring natural
38:05
bodybuilder whom kind met after going to
38:08
one of ins posing classes for this shoot
38:11
I brought nothing but myself and my
38:13
camera no assistance no lights I gave
38:17
them no direction and asked that nothing
38:19
be done for the camera
38:21
what follows is as real a workout with a
38:24
top-tier bodybuilding pro as you will
38:26
ever see on tape but it is not bombastic
38:29
not loud there is very little screaming
38:32
and yelling except when absolutely
38:33
necessary and the weights used will not
38:36
blow your mind instead what I witness
38:39
this day is a very precise and
38:40
scientific leg routine which
38:42
nevertheless is incredibly difficult in
38:44
which I defy anyone to match rep for rep
38:47
I will outline the workout as we go
38:49
along so that if anyone is inclined to
38:51
they can try it out for themselves
38:53
but the point is is that what is
38:55
commonly passed off in the bodybuilding
38:57
world as hardcore is simply performing
38:59
for the camera don't misunderstand me
39:02
I'm not doubting that athletes like
39:04
branch Warren or Daniel in Bali are
39:06
sincere when they train on film for many
39:10
a high energy level in the gym is a
39:11
necessary component of their workout
39:13
routine I'm just saying that in my
39:16
experience I haven't seen it that way
39:18
the athletes I have worked with have
39:20
been for the most part quiet thoughtful
39:23
men and women even when training very
39:25
hard I think there is a misconception
39:27
about what it means to be hardcore
39:30
it comes to bodybuilding all too often
39:32
that term is used for displays that
39:35
could be better described as ego lifting
39:37
sometimes that can be inspiring but it
39:41
can be off-putting and misleading as
39:43
well there's a lot to be said for you
39:47
know seeing a person work at something
39:49
and when you work at something honestly
39:52
you know when people see that and they
39:55
can see that it's just pure honesty
39:58
behind it is there's something about
40:00
that that people can get behind and
40:02
support real people that are buying the
40:06
magazines and stuff when they see open
40:09
the pages of my you see ronnie coleman
40:10
that's a lifestyle that's separate and
40:13
apart for me so you look at that and we
40:16
think that's the only way it is but the
40:19
in truth you can do it wherever you are
40:21
if you just really want to get it done
40:32
so recognizing the filter I think helps
40:36
me now make a lot more sense of this
40:41
journey and why it's important for me to
40:43
turn around and say to the younger
40:46
aspiring stars out there hey do you know
40:49
get your form right learn how to feel
40:51
think about your mind your mind is
40:52
driving this whole thing in the past guy
40:57
has worked one-on-one very closely with
40:59
his trainers lately he has found that
41:01
less necessary and instead has begun to
41:04
mentor other promising bodybuilders
41:07
Julian herself has undergone a startling
41:10
transformation and is now taking it to
41:12
the next level preparing for her first
41:14
bodybuilding show she has been very
41:17
fortunate to have found Kai to guide her
41:19
and Kai obviously sees something in her
41:21
which he finds inspiring
41:23
she's untapped potential very very
41:27
natural
41:28
when living on how sedentary exciting II
41:36
want to start exercising and just really
41:40
started acting like it was an addiction
41:44
became unsettled the wouldn't allow
41:49
herself to accept anything else but
41:52
almost so point of becoming neurotic
41:59
and appearing on a weird to us famous
42:01
book so people that knew her before I
42:05
wanted to look good I wanted to be the
42:08
it girl I wanted to be able to put on a
42:10
bikini and feel good and and and and
42:13
that's what made me do it
42:15
Kai's the best he he takes time to teach
42:20
people I'm used to going to the gym and
42:23
you know I'm doing bicep curls at 45
42:27
pounds and when I met Kai and I've never
42:30
done more than ten reps
42:32
never when I met Kai and he said 20 reps
42:35
everything 20 reps it made me think can
42:39
I can I do 20 reps he said it's not
42:41
about the weight what is it
42:48
what is it other people have that other
42:52
people see we don't what what is that
42:56
and they will see someone to disappear
42:58
him every time you see him they lost in
43:03
the work better because he may just
43:06
focus they get you into it
43:08
nothing goes by next thing you know here
43:12
Wow
43:14
what did you do they become the people
43:16
you want to talk to you almost want to
43:18
engage them in a conversation in
43:20
Lockland thinking it somehow asking you
43:24
the secret how is that you know you know
43:29
seeing people like that that's that's
43:32
what it is
43:33
I want this so bad I'm gonna do
43:37
everything I can do all day you know
43:42
to get closer and closer to making that
43:45
dream reality not everybody that says it
43:49
with their mouth is really really going
43:53
to say with their action saying it with
44:01
your mouth
44:01
versus saying it with your actions are
44:03
two very very very good and when you say
44:10
it with your with your with your actions
44:13
I'm giving everything I have to this
44:16
thing that they say it passionately is
44:19
with your mouth is it may feel really
44:23
good at the time I think this is therapy
44:27
for a lot of people more than more than
44:30
most will say I feel good it just feel
44:39
good to know that I did this you know
44:43
there is no easy way there is no quick
44:47
fix you know and a lot of people need to
44:50
know that and I'm not going to stop I
44:53
will be the best one day I will be and
44:58
I'm not gonna stop here I'm not Julian's
45:04
determination is admirable and she's
45:06
going to need plenty of it to get
45:07
through this workout tonight
45:16
they move back upstairs for more of the
45:19
workout Kai insists on perfect form
45:22
complete extension and complete
45:24
contraction of the target muscle with
45:26
every rep of every exercise
45:28
there will be no ego lifting here
45:30
tonight the weights used are not what is
45:33
important
45:36
Julian begins to falter a bit during six
45:38
rounds of leg extensions but she doesn't
45:41
quit and the hardest part is yet to come
46:13
the final exercise tonight is of course
46:16
squats but by now the athletes muscles
46:18
have been so taxed that there will be no
46:20
need to load up the bar with
46:22
photographically impressive weights to
46:25
their already tired legs even a few
46:27
plates will feel like a ton this is
46:31
where the mythology of the glistening
46:33
screaming athlete in the glossy photo
46:35
shoot
46:36
really crumbles and comes crashing down
46:50
those photographs of Chi for which he
46:53
has now become famous don't even come
46:55
close to the daily reality that I am
46:57
witnessing here this is a slow
46:59
methodical precise thoughtful civilized
47:03
workout by a modern master of muscle
47:05
building not a crazed animalistic iron
47:08
orgy more than try to impress you with
47:14
the thought oh wow how much how much
47:17
weight is he moving how much cardio is
47:20
down I want you to walk away with the
47:22
thought that hey man all of those things
47:25
are built on basic fundamentals and
47:28
regardless of whether or not you have
47:31
access at this time or not to you know
47:34
bright lights fancy cars whether or not
47:38
you even have people what it ready to
47:40
film you today you know if you work hard
47:44
and you use these fundamentals with the
47:46
intent to humble yourself before the
47:49
discipline you do it long enough you too
47:52
can find yourself in the same position
47:54
you know success is something that you
47:56
can attain and it doesn't have to be
47:59
thought to be something so foreign I
48:04
never talked about genetics nothing in
48:08
this day is built around the wonder or
48:11
not of kylene's genetics growth around
48:15
the specifics of doing certain things
48:19
every day
48:25
and even when it gets difficult if you
48:27
believe that you can be successful at
48:29
doing it you have a purpose for getting
48:31
these be fun then success can follow six
48:45
let's go seven yep let's go nine ten
48:52
drive good from the outset the purpose
49:10
of this day in the life video series has
49:12
been to show the work that it takes to
49:14
be an award-winning bodybuilder no
49:16
matter how unfortunate and mundane it
49:18
might be
49:28
two Russian press impressed
49:32
Oh
49:44
the more I talk about this with Kai the
49:47
more I get the impression that he is
49:48
speaking to a younger version of himself
49:50
while trying to help other young
49:52
bodybuilders avoid some of the
49:53
disillusionment that he once had about
49:55
his chosen sport and offer them a more
49:58
realistic expectation of what is truly
50:00
involved if I were to do a video today
50:09
so you hey man after winning the on the
50:12
classic I bought this home I bought this
50:15
piece of real estate and I have this and
50:16
I'm doing these wonderful things now it
50:19
would not allow people to see the truth
50:26
while working towards creating that
50:29
possibility the house wasn't pretty
50:32
you know the car wasn't even there so if
50:36
you're a person that is when around me
50:40
and seeing something that is not the
50:42
picture that you want for your life I've
50:46
spent the 20-year career in bodybuilding
50:49
to learn that you can change that
51:30
you can create the reality that you want
51:34
so if you believe that and you got able
51:36
to take anything away from this video I
51:38
hope there would be that yes because of
51:42
a two-time on classic champion free mr.
51:46
Olivia coming to you from the projects
51:50
but not with the expectation of trying
51:52
to just highlight you know a a negative
51:56
situation but trying to highlight the
51:59
fact that it doesn't matter where you're
52:02
at at the time that you dare to dream
52:04
and it doesn't matter ring then at the
52:08
time that you build a dream just keep
52:11
dreaming and keep poking you know be
52:15
honest about getting the work done and
52:19
the better picture that you're looking
52:21
to create for yourself it can be a team
53:46
you can't aspire to win the show and if
53:50
you just see the show as the show that
53:52
day something separate and apart from
53:55
the little each day and the little
53:59
things that you do in the totality of
54:02
that day that add up to an efficient day
54:06
of efficient accident stringing more
54:10
days of efficient action together
54:13
ultimately you can produce the end
54:19
result you're looking for this is not
54:22
believing in some spiritual hocus pocus
54:27
and mumbo jumbo that it's nonsense no
54:30
this is recognising the power you have
54:33
in your own hand
54:34
with the decision that can make each day
54:36
you know you work you work and you work
54:41
and you're committed to something and at
54:42
times you don't even know that how
54:43
you're committed to its justice therapy
54:46
it's something to do that it's different
54:49
from you know just being lost in your
54:52
own not-so-nice thoughts and it's an
54:57
opportunity and thinking about something
54:59
a lot nicer or to do something that's
55:01
with more purpose than so you do it and
55:03
you take your passion and you put you
55:06
put a lot into it and at some point you
55:10
get it you get it not recognized for it
55:12
but with the recognition does it mean
55:15
that the man is not with his own demons
55:17
or without without his own without his
55:21
own struggles you know do not if you're
55:26
if you're a beginner bodybuilder please
55:29
do not take for granted that you can
55:30
just leave the house with one meal and
55:33
I'll get another another meal as I need
55:35
while I'm out there because yeah I can
55:37
just stop here I can stop here I can get
55:39
I can get no because in truth you're a
55:42
beginner bodybuilder you're not you're
55:45
not a seasoned veteran so they're
55:47
certain
55:48
um there's certain things you can't get
55:52
away with because you have not developed
55:55
the discipline and the strength of
55:57
character yet that are necessary though
55:59
skills those are tools that are
56:01
necessary to be that have to be
56:03
developed they're not well yet shortcut
56:06
methods you have to do that I believe
56:09
the beginner bodybuilder has to go
56:11
through the process of cooking his meals
56:14
each one of them cook all of them pack
56:17
them up in a Tupperware take them with
56:19
you go through the process of having
56:21
them opening them up eating them it's a
56:25
little bit more difficult with each one
56:26
because each one has been in Tupperware
56:28
longer so it becomes more of a testament
56:31
to how bad do you want it what is your
56:34
commitment what are you you know where
56:36
is your true desire I have I've a friend
56:40
that you know is wanted to do a
56:42
bodybuilding show but it's been talking
56:44
about doing a bodybuilding show for 15
56:47
years now you know
56:50
and I'm convinced that the reason why he
56:56
hasn't is because he's holding himself
56:58
back why is he holding himself back
57:00
because he doesn't yes straight he can
57:04
start his diet and get excited about it
57:07
he won't cook his food though every time
57:09
I see him he has no food
57:13
then he'll go and get a roadie which is
57:17
a traditional West Indian style food
57:23
prepared at a local West Indian style
57:28
eatery you know
57:35
and then you know like I said three
57:37
weeks two weeks is going by so I don't
57:39
start you know man what happened to your
57:41
diet well you know and I'm convinced
57:46
that that is what happens it's one thing
57:49
to philosophize about training
57:51
strategies and to you know compare this
57:58
philosophy versus another
58:00
you know argue about you know how many
58:06
grams versus how many grams is is but
58:10
then there's something to be said for
58:12
doing the damn thing you know just just
58:16
do it you know stop talking stop trying
58:21
to sound smart you know you meet these
58:23
people that want to get engaging these
58:25
conversations and one up the
58:27
professional body both ah you know more
58:29
about mudras them I would do I mean I'm
58:34
not straight I'm not where I'm at
58:38
because because I know more about
58:40
nutrition than everybody else on the
58:43
planet you know in fact I dare say that
58:47
the top bodybuilding athletes that are
58:50
on stage are not the man on stage and
58:53
make it right here because they know
58:57
more about training science and
59:00
nutrition
59:01
in the than the average person sitting
59:05
in the audience a lot of times it
59:07
different between the person in the
59:08
audience and the person that's on stage
59:10
doing it is the use of the knowledge so
59:15
success is not based on genetics it's
59:18
not based on how nice this car is it's
59:22
not based on how pretty my face is how
59:25
small my nose may need to look you know
59:28
whether or not I'm the right complexion
59:31
I have an 8-inch scar down the side of
59:33
my face but I have a camera in front of
59:35
me more often enough which just means
59:40
that you know if you work hard and your
59:42
work is recognized you know the sky's
59:47
the limit
59:47
so for all those people out there think
59:49
they ugly and everything
59:50
i'ma hold it down for you but more
59:53
importantly you know you can still be a
59:56
success so all those people that think
59:57
well I'm too short well I'm holding down
60:00
for you and more importantly you can
60:03
still be a success finding the things
60:05
that are that you're excited about that
60:07
you can give your all and work really
60:09
hard towards attaining string those days
60:14
of efficiency efficient action together
60:16
and success can happen
