Musclemania® Pro Simeon Panda on achieving your dream physique. He says, “I train 7 days a week, workouts no longer than 1.5 hours (don’t really need much more than that). I’ve been training for around 13 years. It’s part of my career now but was built while going through schooling and a 9-5 job just like everyone else. Why am I telling you this? So you know your dream physique is completely achievable if you invest the time required to build it.”

“When I say ‘your’ dream physique I truly mean the best of your unique structure. We all have to work with what we have. Aspiring to the zeal and ambition of others is fine but we cannot all look alike we are individuals. Look in the mirror, that is the champion. That is the winner. Make it happen!”

At 6′, 210 lbs., Adnan Ali says he’s trained for symmetry for the past 5 years. The 25 year old Pakistani trainer continues his journey and is training for Musclemania® Asia next season.  He’s qualified to compete at MM Universe and MM World in Miami and Las Vegas, respectively, but he’s been denied a US visa 3 times. “I’m not giving up,” Adnan asserts.  “It’s my dream to compete in America.”  But for now, expect to see Adnan on stage in Singapore in September.

Greek natural bodybuilder Kwnstantinos Badidos has won both of his two competitions. The 5’8″, 195 lbs., 25 year old, former National Swimming Champion says its where he got his training discipline. “I swam for 16 years, nearly everyday,” Kwnstantinos explains. “I Ioved it and was really competitive. Now, I am putting the same drive and ambition into bodybuilding.” Kwanstantinos works in a sports nutrition store in Athens and says he uses whey protein, BCAA,pre-workout, omega-3, fat burners, CLA, multi-vitamins and glutamine. “I am completely drug free and never used any steroids or GH. I am crazed with natural bodybuilding and want to compete at Musclemania® shows in Europe and America.”

New Musclemania® America Physique Champion Dong Yeob Jo created a new definition for “lean”. The 5’11″, 195 lbs., 25 year old, Korean personal trainer’s weight has not changed over the past 2 years of competing but his condition has improved in every appearance.

The United States Congress just passed the Designer Anabolic Steroid Control Act (DASCA) of 2014. President Obama is expected to sign DASCA into law after a House version of the legislation was passed last Thursday on the Senate floor by unanimous consent. The legislation empowers the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to crack down on dangerous substances that resemble anabolic steroids on DEA’s current list of controlled substances and that have been marketed as dietary supplements.

DASCA will place 25 known designer anabolic steroids on DEA’s list of controlled substances and grants the U.S. Attorney General authority to temporarily schedule new designer anabolic steroids on the same list. The legislation also creates new penalties for distributing, importing or manufacturing anabolic steroids under false labels, lawmakers said.

DEA assisted in crafting the bill, including identifying the 25 new substances on the list. Although the performance-enhancing substances will fall under Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, none of them have medicinal benefits, a DEA spokesperson said.

A Senate bill was sponsored by Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah). Reps. Frank Pallone (D-New Jersey) and Joe Pitts (R-Pennsylvania) introduced legislation in the House. The Senate passed H.R. 4771 on Thursday, Dec. 11.

Hatch and Whitehouse have said anabolic steroids are made by reverse engineering illegal steroids and slightly changing their chemical composition, avoiding placement on DEA’s list of controlled substances.

“The world’s top athletes are subject to strict guidelines and rigorous testing to prevent the use of steroids, as they should be,” Whitehouse said Friday in a statement. “At the same time, many American citizens may be unknowingly dosing themselves with these harmful substances.”

DEA has authority to place steroids and other substances on its list of controlled substances, but it must go through an arduous and potentially years-long process that requires the consent of the U.S. Department of Human Health and Services (HHS) through FDA. For instance, DEA this year moved hydrocodone combination products from Schedule III to Schedule II after receiving the recommendation of HHS. But that rule was published 15 years after a physician filed a petition with DEA requesting reclassification, citing the potential for abuse of the products.

DASCA grants the Attorney General authority to temporarily schedule additional anabolic steroids that have recently emerged if he makes certain findings. DEA must notify HHS of such an order. The Attorney General also has authority to publish a list of products that he has determined contain an anabolic steroid and are not labeled in accordance with federal law.

That section narrowly defines anabolic steroids, homing in on products that are marketed to promote muscle growth or a pharmacological effect similar to testosterone. A substance that is not on the controlled substances list is excluded from the definition of anabolic steroids if it is an herb or other botanical, the substance is a dietary ingredient under the Federal, Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FD&C), and it is not anabolic or androgenic. But a company that claims an exemption bears the burden of proof claiming it.

Former Musclemania® World Champion Genaro Alvarado was one of the best natural bodybuilders ever to step on stage. The 5’5″, 170 lbs., Mexican native was introduced to bodybuilding by his 7 older brothers, all of whom were active weight lifters. Genado develop a heavily muscled and perfectly symmetrical physique but, unfortunately, retired from competitive bodybuilding 2 years ago.

Musclemania® Pro Julian Navarro holding his own 3 weeks after competing at MM World Pro. The 5’7″, 185 lbs., 24 year old lifetime natural athlete says, “So far a productive offseason. The gains are coming and I am still able to see great detail in my obliques. My abs not so much. But as long as I can see detail in either one, I am happy!”

Musclemania® Pro Burkley Goss looking fuller, leaner and contest ready . . . but his show was 3 weeks ago! The 5’8″, 211 lbs., South African natural bodybuilder says, “I am so much leaner than the show. I’ve stuck to my diet but kept eating, clean of course. Me and Henry Adell agreed we should diet all the way down. My training is twice a day. I’m focused on heavy compound movements. My diet is higher protein with carbs fluctuating, carb cycling but more like macro cycling.”

Musclemania® Paris Physique Short Class Champion Raquieb Balaydin has stayed super lean since the October show. The 5’7″, 180 lbs., Dutch trainer says, “I am keeping it tight. I haven’t let up on my diet because its really part of my life. Eating clean has become easy, it just is.” Raquieb says he’s plans for next season include the Universe in June in Florida.

He’s been competing since he was 17 years old, but Jesus Villanueva plans to come into his own next season. The 5’11″, 190 lbs., 20 year old student has consistently added size and conditioned his muscle. “I’ve been eating a lot more disciplined and it shows,” Jesus says. “Supplements are expensive here in Mexico, so I focus more on eating right and it works.” Jesus will be in stage at Musclemania® Mexico in May

Musclemania® America Physique Top 5 Finalist Osei Bonsu barreled into the show with the energy of a first timer. The 6′, 185 lbs., 28 year old US Navy sailor got hooked in the gym from his dad who he calls a “Gym Rat Father.” Osei is working on his bachelors degree but that will on a temporary hold as he’s being deployed in a couple of weeks.

With just three shows experience, Musclemania® America Physique Champion Perry Hoskin is shaking up the sports model muscle scene. The 5’11″, 185 lbs. barber says its become his new passion. “I have a couple of entrepreneur endeavors which all have taken a back seat to my training. I really want to enter the fitness field. I’ve stopped personal training to work on me for no pay. But it’s my passion for sure. I played amateur and semi pro football for years then left to play arena football in Salt Lake City and cracked my sacrum before the season even started. So I came home to Texas and working out took the place of my football games.”

Raghu Ramappa is a popular figure in the Bangalore, India film industry and won Musclemania® India LW Championships last weekend. He says “I was always a hardcore enthusiast of bodybuilding. My Dad was a competitive bodybuilder and I wanted to follow his footsteps. I was in the industry and competing for four years, until 2006. But being natural and trying to win shows where ‘enhanced’ freaks competer is was close to impossible. I was distraught and gave up on competing. But when I recently learned about MM and natural bodybuilding was coming to India, it gave me hope. I’ve been training harder than ever to get back into prime form. And thanks to my Dad, my biggest inspiration, who at 62 years recently won a local competition, I’ve managed to win my first show after 8 years! My Dad is still in the reality television show ‘Big Boss’ (in India) and we haven’t spoken in months. He doesn’t even know the result yet. When he asked the television crew to call me, they refused and the entire state of Karnataka was shocked to see him break down on live television. He was always known to be a strong person, so this came as a shock and I couldn’t sleep all night. The ZEE TV network said it was to surprise him later when we get my pictures and complete posing routines. I hope to get them soon so he can celebrate my victory.”

Just a week after returning from Los Angeles, Musclemania® Pro Ulisses is looking like he’s ready for another show. The 5’11″, 195 lbs., London based legend will start the New Year endorsing Isolabs Nutrition. Ulisses will also make appearances at FIBO, Rimini Wellness and other European sports expos.

Musclemania® Paris Junior & Overall Champion Deelan Duriez (R) was a complete surprise to everyone at the show. Seen here being congratulated by MM Pro Simeon Panda (L), the 5’9″, 185 lbs., 20 year old student competed in the show last year, but did not crack the Top 5. “I went home and started planning to return as new bodybuilder,” Deelan says. “I changed my diet, trained twice a day, concentrated on my symmetry, a lot of things were different this year.” Although Deeland technically qualifies as a MM Pro, he’s opted to return to the open ranks next year and will compete at MM Universe in June. “I may have won the Paris show, but I am just 20 and just don’t think I am ready for the Pros,” he explains.

He didn’t win or even make the Top 5. But, the 6’2″, 230 lbs., heavyweight Daniel Babcock says he depleted too much for Musclemania® America in Las Vegas last month. “I had photo shoots the week before the show and just didn’t time it out very well. Thick, lean and symmetrical, Daniel has impressive potential, especial for a tall HW. He explains, “It’s pretty amazing how the body over compensates and taken in everything after being on an extended diet. Any bit of nutrients it gets goes straight to use and your muscles become beyond full.” Daniel isn’t sure in what show and where he’ll compete next, but wherever it is, no one should take their off this guy. He’s going to be a threat.

The inaugural Musclemania® India took place today with over 100 of the country’s top natural competitors! Introducing natural bodybuilding into the country was a challenge since there had never been any such show before. Said promoter Tharun Sholarajan, “We started getting so many guys wanting to jump into the show that we initiated an application process. It was real simple – we had them send in photos and if they were obviously on juice, we directed them to another show happening in Mumbai today which was an open to anyone. It thinned the ranks a bit, but we had a pretty clean show off the top. Then, we had urinalysis testing conducted before the start of the show today. We should get the results back within a week or two. I was real proud that stuck to the MM tradition and ran a tight show, nice and clean. And especially since it was the first natural show in the country!” Next season, MM will expand in India with shows in Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai and Bangalore.

Daniel Roman says he’ll be competing at Musclemania® Colombia in February. The popular 5’6″, 183 lbs., 21 year old college student stays in contest shape all year, so he says competing will be nothing more than dropping a little water. “I always eat clean,” Daniel claims. “When I eat any junk, I feel like crap. I just can’t eat outside my diet even if I want to! I train super heavy and eat just enough carbs to get the energy I need, but nothing more.”

For whatever anyone says about Musclemania® Pro Simeon Panda, the guy is natural and a leader among drug free bodybuilding. He says, “Firstly, anyone who chooses to go the non-natural route is within their rights to make their own decisions, I hold no negative feelings towards them. However, if you are in the early stages of building your physique (male or female) I would like to encourage and enlighten you that you are naturally capable of building an amazing physique (relative to your genetic make up) if you exercise the discipline and invest the extensive time required to do so. I’ve been training for around 13yrs now and I am still very excited about the future in regards to progress with my physique. It’s a long but enjoyable process for me; I mean I get to enjoy my workouts daily, whilst in the long run, reap the rewards of my efforts as I watch my physique improve year after year.”

Looking insane, Colombian bodybuilder Julian Tanaka stays in this lean shape all season. The 5’8″, 185 lbs., 27 year old will make his Musclemania® debut next season. Julian just earned his MBA in Micro Business and works in his family farm business.

Musclemania® Middle East Junior athlete Mohammed is lifetime natural with a passion for bodybuilding. “My parents want me to become an architect, so I am studying in the university for it,” he explains. “But my heart is too much into fitness and everything about it. I just love eating right, training everyday and looking great.” Right now, Mohammed is off-season training but he explains, “My idea of bulking isn’t so much like other people’s. I don’t believe in bulking to the point were you just become a big fat power lifter. I believe in bulking with proper strict dieting and good nutritious food.” So, like many other MM athletes, Mohammed follows the “lean bulk” regimen. He will be competing again next season and aiming to win MM in Cairo.

Musclemania® Pro Ty Ogedegbe says he’s still on a game day training regimen. “I lost my class by just 1 point!,” he exclaims referring to MM World Pro last month in Las Vegas. The London based, lifetime natural bodybuilder says, “I can’t believe it. I won’t let that happen, again. I’m staying on my contest gym workouts and nutrition and am going to bring a different look in Miami (MM Universe).” At 5’9″, 210 lbs., Ty is one of the thickest natural guys in the sport with trophies like MM Britain and MM Universe on his mantel.

Best buddies Simeon Panda (L) and Ulisses just wrapped up their 5 day California video shoot following their appearance at Musclemania® in Las Vegas. Both will soon post a new video feature about the trip on their respective Youtube pages.