Lee Priest "The Blond Myth"

Throughout the short history of bodybuilding very few physique athletes have earned the right to share a moniker with one of the greatest legends, Sergio Oliva—the Myth. In fact, only one such person comes to mind. With overwhelming mass and cartoonish, superherolike muscles Lee Priest has been called “the Blond Myth”—and for good reason, as you’ll see in this video of the same name.

Taking a kind of of MTV-meets-ESPN2 approach, Mitsuru Okabe does an excellent job of highlighting Priest’s life and training in the 60-minute program. Still a youngster in the world of bodybuilding, he was born in 1972 and began training at the age of 13. One of his first shows was a Mixed Pairs competition—with his mother (which they won, by the way).

Priest says it doesn’t really matter to him where he places at contests—he just enjoys competing and training. Nevertheless, he does have some choice words for the judges of bodybuilding shows. “It’s time for the judges to be judged,” he says. “After all, if 1,500 to 1,800 people in an audience can get it right, why do six people in the front f#@! it up?” After all is said and done, however, Priest competes for the crowd.

So how does someone attain Priest’s ungodly mass? I’m sure there are several answers to that question. Let’s go over a couple that are explored in the video.

The first is training, something Priest does with serious intent. We see him training quads at World Gym, Venice, during contest preparation. The word quads isn’t quite accurate. Even after a recent drive through Yosemite and the huge redwood forest, I still can’t think of anything big enough to compare to Priest’s thighs.
Okabe cuts to chest and back just a week out from the competition. Regarding the amount of weight to use, Priest says you should train by feel—and I’m sure he can’t help but feel his dumbbell presses at 140 pounds.

When the video shifts to his biceps, Priest displays two of the freakiest things I’ve ever seen. Number one, he has striated biceps! Number two, he’s got a muscle by his thumb that’s about the size of most peoples’ biceps. I guarantee you’ve never seen anything like it.

Of course, Lee Priest is in favor of the more freaky body types, and I would say he’s accomplished any goals he may have set in that area. That probably explains his fascination with Superman. After a video tour of his house you’ll no doubt begin to refer to it as the Fortress of Solitude.

For bodybuilders who have never competed, there’s a section that gives a very good sense of what it’s like to be backstage. From pumping up to stage calls, you can feel Priest’s nervous tension right before he steps in front of the audience. This segment was filmed at Priest’s first IRONMAN Invitational, when he was 22, and you get to see his complete posing routine.

Now for the most “consuming” part of the video, which outlines Lee Priest’s second method of achieving inhuman mass—diet. We see him eating some so-called clean meals before the contest, in which he ingests enough food to make many of us sick. Then there’s his off-season diet. Let’s just say he’s not one of those guys who try to stay in shape all year. He’s a man who likes to eat! I won’t ruin it for you, but you’ve got to hear Priest’s description of his off-season breakfast. I swear I don’t have that many calories in an entire daily menu—not even at Thanksgiving. Priest’s off-season diet motto is easy to follow. After a contest there’s no more plain chicken breasts. There’s still chicken, but it’s Kentucky Fried, and there’s still rice, but it’s fried too. It’s no wonder he manages to pack on 10 to 12 pounds of muscle every year; however, I’m sure it’s a bit tough to lose the extra adipose that comes along with it.

Priest gives some good advice to young trainees, and he tops it off with a good attitude. All in all, “The Blond Myth” is a worthwhile addition to every bodybuilder’s video library.

Pros: If you’re motivated by mass monsters, if you have a fetish for Superman toys, or if you like to eat vicariously, this is the video for you.

Cons: Watching this tape after a large meal—or if you’re pregnant—may make you nauseous.