Has Charles implemented different training principles from Pano’s?
SM: Charles is all about angles. He can take a machine and show you how to use it two or three different ways. You pick a bodypart you want to improve on, and he’ll show you three or four different exercises to accomplish that. The guy is so knowledgeable—what does he have, 30-plus years in the gym? Nothing beats that. We do pretty much a six-day routine: one bodypart a day, four exercises. I’ve been doing that for about the past year. LT: How do you overcome plateaus? SM: You have to mix it up—you can’t be afraid to try new things. That’s why I’ve worked with different trainers. I’ve been working out for 17 years, but you never know everything—you never know enough. You need to train for longevity; don’t be stupid and try to lift a house and break records. As a bodybuilder you’re trying to sculpt the body. LT: What about cardio? SM: I never did any cardio until ’04 or ’05. Since I started with Charles and Dave, they’ve had me doing cardio first thing when I get out of bed—only 20 minu
