January 18, 2008

Interview with
Bodybuilder Perry Merlotti
Interviewed
by Ben Tatar of CriticalBench.com - January 2008

1) CRITICAL BENCH: Perry,
welcome to Critical Bench. It's an honor to speak to a
bodybuilder who has achieved so much already like yourself.
Introduce yourself to the muscle world!

Perry Merlotti: Well first off I am a college
student and Missouri Southern State University in Joplin,MO. I
am majoring in health wellness and promotion and minoring in
marketing. I used to play soccer and was going to play here at
MSSU but decided to pursue bodybuilding instead.

2) CRITICAL BENCH: When and how did you get
started in bodybuilding?

Perry Merlotti: I got started with bodybuilding
when I moved to college. I was always active and into sports
but once I got to college I was burnt out on soccer so I
decided to pursue bodybuilding. Ever since then I've been
hooked and can't put down a weight.

3) CRITICAL BENCH: What competitions have you
entered? Tell us what it is like competing in bodybuilding
shows!

Perry Merlotti: This past summer I competed in
the Show Me Naturals in St. Louis, MO and placed first in the
middle weight class. Competing in bodybuilding shows is such a
rush, you go on stage and before you know it, the whole show
is done with. Back stage is always hectic because you are
trying to get your oil put on you, get your pump up in and
also make sure you don't look flat.

4) CRITICAL BENCH: Perry, congratulations
with all of your success in competitive bodybuilding so far!
Do you have any good advice for someone who might want to do a
bodybuilding show in the future?

Perry Merlotti: Some advice I could give future
competitors is to come in ripped. A lot of the time people
think bigger is always better when it's the opposite around.
You want to come in as ripped as you can be and when you do
this you tend to look bigger once you're on stage.

5) CRITICAL BENCH: Great advice.
Perry, we are interested in how you got so ripped and in how
you train. First, start off by telling us about your arm
routine!

Perry Merlotti: I workout my biceps, triceps and
forearms together once a week. I will do 15 sets of biceps, 15
sets of triceps, and 12 sets of forearms. I tend to switch up
my exercises of the workout from week to week so I just use a
variety of lifts.

6) CRITICAL BENCH: Tell us about your leg
routine!

Perry Merlotti: For legs I normally work them
out two times a week. The first workout of the week I will do
12 sets of quads and 6 sets of hamstrings. I will also do 15
sets of calves on this day. I tend to use a variety of
exercises because I feel if you switch up your routines you
will always trick your body into new growth. The next leg day
I do 12 sets of hamstrings and 6 sets of quads. I will also do
15 sets of calves on this day as well.

7) CRITICAL BENCH: Tell us about your back
routine!

Perry Merlotti: For back I normally do 18 sets
of back exercises. I will do 3 different exercises to target
my lats, like wide grip pullups, lat pulldowns, and weighted
pullups. Then I will move on to middle back exercises like the
T-Bar rows, low cable row machine, and reverse grip barbell
rows. I also switch up the exercises for back because shocking
the muscles is what sparks new growth in your body.

8) CRITICAL BENCH: Tell us about your chest
routine!

Perry Merlotti: My chest days are normally about
18 sets for chest. I will do a variety of chest exercises but
tend to start off with barbell bench press and then move on to
incline barbell bench press. I will then throw in some
weighted chest dips and then some variations of dumbbell
flies.

9) CRITICAL BENCH: Tell us about your ab routine!

Perry Merlotti: I do my abs every day of the
week. I will do 15 minutes of straight abs. I will also have a
variety of ab routines, some weighted some unweighted but
either way I will do them non-stop for the 15 minutes.

10) CRITICAL BENCH:
Your ab routine sounds intense! Do you do cardio?

Perry Merlotti: No, I don't do cardio. I only do
it when I am cutting down for a photo shoot or bodybuilding
contest. I feel if you workout with a high enough intensity
then you do not need to do cardio in the off season.

11) CRITICAL BENCH: Do you have an on season
and an off season? How is your training during your on season
different than your training during your off season?

Perry Merlotti: I do have an on and off season
but my body doesn't change that much. I will only add in
cardio in my on season to change it up so I can drop some
weight. I never let my abs go away because I feel that there
is no point in working them out if you can't even see them.
When I'm in my on season stage I will normally do higher rep
routines as well.

12) CRITICAL BENCH: How has bodybuilding made
your quality of life better?

Perry Merlotti: Bodybuilding is a lifestyle and
it's not just an activity. So bodybuilding has changed my
whole perspective of life. Bodybuilding allows for me to eat
healthy and also feel healthy.

13) CRITICAL BENCH: What makes you happy?
What are your fears and what are your pet peeves in the gym?

Perry Merlotti: My friends and family make me
happy. I enjoy spending time with them because they are the
most important aspect of my life. Working out also makes me
happy. My fears are not succeeding in life. When I'm at the
gym my pet peeves are when people don't use proper form, throw
their weights around, and also not clean up their weights
after they are done.

14) CRITICAL BENCH:
What would you like to see change in bodybuilding and in the
whole bodybuilding/fitness industry in general?

Perry Merlotti: I would like to see the idea of
bigger is always better change. I feel that the bodybuilders
nowadays are losing the whole sight of bodybuilding. I hope
that it goes back to the Arnold era where they had the small
waists and the amazing V tapers. The Frank Zanes and Arnold
looks were the best looks ever.

15) CRITICAL BENCH: If you were to play a
role in a movie of any type of character what type of
character would you play?

Perry Merlotti: I would have to say an action
star who saves the day. I would love to be the big good guy in
a movie. Also, I think playing a hitman would be a pretty
sweet role as well.

16) CRITICAL BENCH: What do you like doing
outside of bodybuilding?

Perry Merlotti: Outside of bodybuilding I love
hanging out with my friends and family and also going to the
movies and playing sports. Another thing is I love food, so
going to a great spot to eat is always a fun thing to do.

17) CRITICAL BENCH: What is your ideal
vacation?

Perry Merlotti: My ideal vacation is going to
some tropical place with my family and friends and just
chilling on the beach. I love taking trips to Florida, so I'd
have to say that is my ideal vacation.

18) CRITICAL BENCH: Tell us about some of the
things that you have achieved in this bodybuilding industry
that you are proud of!

Perry Merlotti: Well I have been featured in
Men's Exercise and I am proud of that. I just won the Males
Most Perfect Male Physique contest for the month of November.
Also, I have done 2 photo shoots that were a great experience.

19) CRITICAL BENCH: What makes you different
than most of the other guys who workout your age?

Perry Merlotti: The only thing that makes me
different from them is that I stay focused and follow my
dreams. Most of the time guys my age tend to always be out and
partying and they never stay focused. If you want to become
successful in this sport you have to be disciplined and set
goals for yourself that you will strive to achieve each and
everyday.

Photos on this page provided courtesy of BBpics.com

20) CRITICAL BENCH: What's your advice for
the young bodybuilder who looks up to you and who would like
to be like you someday?

Perry Merlotti: I would tell them to stay
focused and not let the negatives of life get to you. Stay on
track and always follow your dreams. Also, I would tell them
to get as symmetrical as they can because that will led to
their success in the sport.

21) CRITICAL BENCH: What are your future
goals?

Perry Merlotti: My future goals are to be
featured in Muscle and Fitness and to start my own personal
training studio.

22) CRITICAL BENCH: Well, you are well on
your way. How do you want people to remember you when your
bodybuilding days end?

Perry Merlotti: I want people to remember me as
the guy who brought back the smaller ripped up look like back
in the 70's.

23) CRITICAL BENCH: Perry, it's been great
talking to you and awesome work. In closing is there anything
else you would like to say and anyone who you would like to
thank?

Perry Merlotti: I would like to say thank you to
all my friends and family for the support of me during this
all. You guys have been there for me and I appreciate
everything you guys do.

I like to thank John Mitchell of www.bbpics.com
working with me this past year & look forward to work more
with him in the future. He introduced me to Tammy of http://www.realgainz.com/ which I owe a big
thanks to for all the encouragement & support she has
given me in pursuing my dreams. Her magazine & the various
sponsored contests I entered & won have inspired me to
keep improving my physique development & promoting myself
in the fitness industry. Thanks Tammy!

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