Though never one of the biggest, Frank Zane is nevertheless one of the best bodybuilders to ever strike a pose. Between 1968 and 1972 he won the Mr. America, Mr. International, Mr. World, and three different Mr. Universe titles. When he took the first such Mr. U title, someone named Arnold Schwarzenegger, making his American debut, was relegated to runner-up. Still, Zane is best remembered for his three consecutive Mr. Olympia titles from 1977-79 when his classical aesthetics and detailed definition slew the world’s greatest Goliaths.

Zane, who taught high school math and chemistry for 13 years and returned to college to earn a B.A. in psychology and a master’s in experimental psychology, is the thinking man’s bodybuilder. He tells us about the importance of continuous learning for continuous growth, and he details an ab routine from the late ‘;70s when his mind-blowing midsection was a key reason for his Sandow success versus the mass monsters.

ZANE’S EVOLUTIONARY THEORY

“I’m always learning. If I didn’t make an effort to continuously learn new ways to improve my physique I definitely wouldn’t have won consistently over the years. And with each change in my knowledge about bodybuilding diet, training and mental approach, my overall philosophy changes. Life is change. Without change, we stagnate as individuals. The same holds true in bodybuilding. I certainly don’t train and diet in the same way that I did ten years ago. I’ve learned to do it better, and I improve more quickly as a result. Today I hope to learn something knew and tomorrow I’ll apply it to my workout.”

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