By David Tepera, January 15, 2019
Recently, we were invited by our friend Jerome Karam, the owner of World’s Gym in Texas City, to attend a free seminar by former Mr. Universe Lee Labrada and his son (and IFBB Pro) Hunter.
I was intrigued since Lee was our Houston hero in the body building industry throughout the 1990s, plus he holds over 22 body building titles. Since Lee is my age, I followed him over the many years to learn more about the sport.
Tina and I spent several hours with the Labrada duo discussing everything from weight training to nutrition. This was extremely important to us since we offer these services to all our clients.
But, what struck me the most was how well in shape Lee was, along with the muscle size that he still possesses. Being a motivational speaker, I had a few questions for the 59-year-old former Mr. Universe.
Me: “Lee, what became your motivation to pursue body building as a pro? It’s a hard road and only a few truly make it to the top level.”
Lee: “David, I started weight training to help rehab from a high school football injury. I quickly gained muscle definition to which I realized I was better at lifting weights than football. I won my first contest as Teen Texas and was hooked. My drive to push my body to its limit, to be better than others, a never-quit attitude, had helped me to become a world champion.”
Me: “We’ve just started the new year, and most everyone’s resolution is to improve health. What’s one piece of advice you can give my readers?”
Lee: “First of all, you should always be measuring something. If you’re trying to lose weight, measure your fat percentage. For me, I was working on muscle growth, so I constantly tape measured my biceps and legs. Look, even changing your food portions is a means of measurement. Most people use the weight scales for measuring, but if you’re weight training, the scale can be deceiving for fat loss.”
Now, after a few informative hours with Lee, we both agreed that our society has gotten out of control with obesity, and it’s our responsibility to use our platforms to help others seek a healthier life.
We exchanged books, took some pics, shook hands and agreed to continue our journey to impact this world. So, a big shout-out to Worlds Gym for helping me connect with one of my body building idols.