SZ: Which is your favorite Stallone physique on film?
GEORGE PIPASIK: Like I said, every year he gets better and better. I like his body in RAMBO III. It was good, healthy and at that time… perfect. He was in Bangkok.
SZ: When he’s in Bangkok what does he eat? I know that wherever you go, the food is different, and in bodybuilding if you eat the wrong food..
GEORGE PIPASIK: At that time…he had two cooks. His own cooks.
SZ: In many interviews he stated that he: “only ate one green vegetable and chicken and that was it.” Was that once a day? Twice a day?
GEORGE PIPASIK: No, three times. In between takes, he would pump. He doesn’t in RAMBO 4. In RAMBO 3 he pumps so [much that] every ten or fifteen minutes he had oatmeal cookies and honey with a cup of coffee.
SZ: To keep his energy up?
GEORGE PIPASIK: Because every shot he looks pumped.
SZ: In John Rambo, he didn’t do that as much?
GEORGE PIPASIK: No, mainly on weekends because he was working on that for 18 hours [a day].
SZ: Sly worked so hard to get in such great shape for the latest Rambo movie. Why do you think that he didn’t have at least one scene where Rambo was shirtless?
GEORGE PIPASIK: He doesn’t want to take his shirt off. He doesn’t need to. You can tell right away with his clothes on if he’s in shape or if he’s not in shape. He looks so good, he doesn’t need to.
SZ: Definitely. He looked in this RAMBO, 20lbs heavier?
GEORGE PIPASIK: Exactly right, he was 20lbs more heavy.
SZ: The neck, the traps, the outer delts and his FOREARMS.
GEORGE PIPASIK: That was his priority…he wanted to look like a jungle man. He was training very heavy and used that machine over there.” [SZ: – George points to a machine that he built — the man is brilliant! Then it sets in again and I worked out on the same machines that Sly used in his preparations for so many great movies!]
SZ: For a movie like RAMBO…does Sly start training 3 months before or 4 months before filming is to start?
GEORGE PIPASIK: Yes, 3 months before…6 days a week. We get ready. Everything we do, but we start at the neck and his shoulders…that was priority. You start with what you need the most.. you need rest and then you get more from that.
SZ: What was the LEAST enjoyable shoot ? When you are on location, we’ve read about it, there’s death threats…etc.
GEORGE PIPASIK: (quick to answer) RAMBO III! That was in Israel and 20 years ago. It was so, so hot there. It was unbelievable. It was dry, and there were a lot of flies. Even at night. In morning we came to hotel and it was 90 degrees at 4:00am in the gym. Every Rambo shoot is difficult. In Thailand it was 40′ Celsius. We stayed in Thailand 3 months. He had bodyguards and police from Thailand traveling with us at all times.
SZ: During filming how close is your food intake to Mr. Stallone’s? Do you guys eat together to make sure he’s eating the right stuff?
GEORGE PIPASIK: Because he has his own cooks, [he eats] by himself. I eat mostly natural stuff. Natural protein. Sly eats protein shakes but I am pure natural. Mostly I eat eggs and fish.
SZ: We can’t help but comment on your bodybuilding days! We’ve seen the pictures of the development of your physique. It’s no wonder people came to you to help them develop their bodies. Who else besides Sly comes to mind as far as you training them?
GEORGE PIPASIK: Well, I mostly trained celebrities. I trained Arnold for 8 months…in early 1974.
SZ: Can you tell us your 3 favorite Sly films?
GEORGE PIPASIK. I like FIRST BLOOD. And …ROCKY IV.
SZ: “Rocky IV” has got to be like going down memory lane for you.
(George smiles and nods. In all of his gallery of pictures, there is an interesting amount of him on the set of “ROCKY IV” that were a joy to look at. He also thoroughly enjoys talking, in depth, about the photographs and when they were taken. )
SZ: In recent years Sly has endorsed his own supplement line [INSTONE, and then S-Force]. You’ve said that you don’t take supplements, but prefer to get yours naturally.
GEORGE PIPASIK: Yes, all natural. I don’t control what he takes. His supplements he does on his own, because he’s met the best and knows so much.
SZ: How often do you work out?
GEORGE PIPASIK: Usually 5 times, but no less than 3 times a week.
SZ: Is it very structured, like 3 days on, one day off?
GEORGE PIPASIK: No, you have to switch combinations. Like my favorite is, chest and back.
SZ: Is there any actor or director that you would like to see Sly work with?
GEORGE PIPASIK: I can’t tell with Sly. It’s his decision whom he likes the best.
SZ: It seems like when you trained Dolph and Sly, they didn’t have a competitive bodybuilding look. They looked more athletic, more like Greek statues. Was that on purpose? Are there times they bulked up and then slimmed down, or was it all at once?
GEORGE PIPASIK: It was all at once. You have to work everything. It’s what they wanted. But it’s also genetic. Everyone is different. Not every exercise works for every one. What works for him, might not for me, might not for you.
SZ: Are you a big fan of cardio?
GEORGE PIPASIK: Yes. Cardio is the best. Weights and cardio. Always together a combination. And eating. Eating is 80% of it. When you start to exercise you need to eat, but if you don’t watch what you eat, then you get fat.
SZ: Okay, that about wraps it up. We want to again thank you, Mr. Pipasik, for the time and valuable information you’ve provided us. Before we go, we’re hoping you can shout out to the “STALLONE ZONE,” especially to Craig Zablo, who has kept this community and the hype going, could you do that?
GEORGE PIPASIK: Yeah, Hi Sly! (Please note: Mr. Pipasik made it clear he gets no e-mail or even near a computer and my guess is if he had, then we all know that “Hi Sly!” would have been a “Hi, to the SZ.”. – Chris)
SZ: Thank you so much, we sincerely appreciate it.
GEORGE PIPASIK: Thank you. My pleasure.
My thanks to George Pipasik for allowing us insight into his gym as well as some of his experiences with Sly Stallone. Chris respectfully waited months until Mr. Pipasik was able to see him. Mr. Pipasik runs a private gym and it is our hope that his graciousness with Chris Heathcoat doesn’t encourage overzealous fans to become a bother.
Thanks again to Chris for sharing their experiences and photos with us. Also thanks to Carrisa for taking the photos! – Craig