JERRY ROSS of age 23, 5’10, 180 lbs, chest relaxed 46, expanded 48, biceps 17, waist 29, hips 36, thighs 24, calves 17. Persistent training really produced results, didn’t it? While the first gains such as Jerry had made In the top picture are usually not very difficult, the extra super inches are the ones hard to come by–and there Just isn’t any shortcut. Most of us would (and really should) be quite content to Jerry’s first achievement, cs such a build would put us for above the decrepit norm, and the wonderful part about it is that the first gains are so dorned easy, that no matter whose system you follow or how you goof-up, you’re almost certain to make notable progress in the beginning, just so you’re eating a sensible diet, and progressively requiring the muscles of your body to work a little hArder (thus causing them to hypertrophy, or enlarge). While we think it’s shameful the way some of the barbell people and others exaggerate in their advertising to try to con you into believing they can turn you into Mr. America on six hours of training a month, the truth is that almost everyone of them could change you to the point you wouldn’t recognize yourself if you would follow their courses religiously for about two months. But after that the going would get tougher, and at this point most of the weaker willed fallows drop out. While at the beginning inches of muscle fairly leaped onto the arms with only modest weights being used, the bodybuilder finds it necessary to do tremendous amounts of work to gain just another part of an inch after that.
The Important lesson for us is that If like Jerry Ross we feel the super physique is worth the cost, it is almost always obtainable if we are persistent enough, and yet at the same time if we just want that degree of development which will let us stand out from the crowd, but would probably never score in a great physique contest, the moderate build is attainable at a very low cost in energy and time,
While few bodybuilders are ever able to realize a financial “profit” from their training, Jerry is an exception. He has done some film work, written and illustrated a number of magazine articles, and is currently engaged in the sale of his own Inspirational physique photos. The photo on this page, as well as all of Jerry’s latest photographs were taken by the favorite photographer of Muscle Beach, Herb Dixen.