Author: Craig

SZ Exclusive Interview: George Pipasik, Part II

Craig / / 2008, Sly Fan
SZ: Tell us about the highlights of your career. I know that Sylvester Stallone was one of them.

GEORGE PIPASIK: First it started with Sly, then after. . .came many celebrities.

SZ: And Sly came just after a few months after you first opened?

GEORGE PIPASIK: Yeah, I opened and then yes, he soon came after. I was not in the business and [did not] know about how to advertise — I make everything myself. So without advertising, people started coming. Mainly Hollywood people.

SZ: And the gym was open to the public?

GEORGE PIPASIK: Yes at first. But then we started getting too busy. So I made it a private club. Just one to one.

 

SZ: Isn’t it true that by the time Sly came to your gym he had already worked out with Franco Columbu twice.

GEORGE PIPASIK: Ah, yes. He was in my gym with him that second time. He [Sly] had lots of training before. In 1985 he [Sly] asked if I could train him and Dolph Lundgren for ROCKY IV.

SZ: WOW! Exciting, that is exciting.

GEORGE PIPASIK: So, it was January 1985, I started the training for ROCKY IV. Sly and Dolph. (It is at this time, more than any during the 2 hours we spent there, that Mr. Pipasik beams while telling the stories. It was unavoidable to notice that he really enjoyed telling about his FIRST experiences working with Sly which was one of the most famous times in his life.)

SZ: Knowing that you have trained every body part of Sylvester Stallone, when you look at all his films, is there a particular body part in the film…and you can see that THE GOAL was accomplished? For example while preparing “Rocky 4” I remember Sly saying he tried so hard for defined abs.”

GEORGE PIPASIK: Every movie he gets better and better. It takes time. So.. He has a perfect body now.

 

SZ: Almost seems like a perfect body then !

GEORGE PIPASIK: Yeah, but he improves every year. Bodybuilding takes a long time. It doesn’t happen over night.

SZ: (Chris looks down at his ‘no ab’s/dunlap over the belly) Yeah, we know that. So perhaps the only time he was ever out of shape, was because he got out of shape on purpose for Copland?

GEORGE PIPASIK: Yeah, with Copland, I could NOT believe it, he put so much weight on.

SZ: Does that mean you disassociated yourself with him? (laughing)

GEORGE PIPASIK: Ha ha, no! I am just surprised he came back. People who usually go that heavy DO NOT come back.

SZ: He actually said in interviews that he liked the extra weight and was going to keep it on. But then two months later, it was off.

GEORGE PIPASIK: It’s all eating… 80% of it , is eating.
—–
[More to come… Craig]

SZ Exclusive Interview: George Pipasik, Part I

Craig / / 2008, Sly Fan
SZ: We know about your hard work helping Sly to get in shape for his films. We know that you appeared in “ROCKY IV,“ but what we don’t know is what made you get into bodybuilding yourself?

GEORGE PIPASIK: I used to play hockey. And it was very difficult in Czechoslovakia. During that time, I had met some friends and started lifting weights. I was 19 years old. And since that time, I have been lifting weights all the time.

SZ: When did you decide to make it your career ?

GEORGE PIPASIK: It was unexpected. I was supposed to open a gym with Arnold.

SZ: Arnold? As in Schwarzenegger? Who of course (respectfully laughing) is now our Governor?

GEORGE PIPASIK: Yes. I started building everything myself. In another place, split between L.A. After two years, he decided he didn’t want to open his own gym, so he decided to go somewhere else. I decided to open a gym myself. That was December of 1982.

SZ: That’s the official date of opening Santa Monica Bodybuilding Center?
GEORGE PIPASIK: Yes.
—–
[More to come… Craig]

Intro to SZ Exclusive Interview: George Pipasik

Craig / / 2008, Sly Fan

Hello fellow SZoners! WOW ! How exciting, to have been not just welcomed, but given a very cordial invite to the Santa Moncia Bodybuilding Center to get a tour, and even some unexpected training with LONG TIME Sylvester Stallone trainer, and of course his close friend, Mr. George Pipasik. Though this was not the first time a StalloneZoner had visited Mr. Pipasik (maybe most of you remember the exciting pictures that SZoner Judge Monty posted about a year ago), but this is StalloneZoner Chris Heathcoat’s very first visit. Before we begin I want to personally “THANK” Mr. George Pipasik for our exclusive StalloneZone interview. For everything from the beginning of our first phone conversation, to the entrance into the gym with a warm hand shake and smile, to our exits with our own Santa Monica Bodybuilding Center shirts (a treat from George) we are very appreciative. What comes to mind, is some dialogue from Stallone’s own RAMBO script. In the film actress Julie Benz is told by her co-star who played “Michael” that John Rambo is doing what he’s doing because “He’s been paid.” Julie’s character responds, “He didn’t take anything.“ Neither did George for all of his time, valuable information and gracious generosity.
Hope you enjoy,
Chris Heathcoat

[More to come… Craig]

Fan Art

Craig / / 2008, Fan Art, Sly Fan


Hi Craig,
I’m sending you paintings that I’ve painted last year. I’m a StalloneZone fan since the beginning and also a huge Stallone fan . It’s gonna be an extreme honor for me to see my paintings posted on your website. Thank you very much.
Cheers! from Canada.
Francis Bourque
Ottawa,Ontario,Canada.
I’ll send you a picture of my Rocky statue soon.
_____

Thanks for sharing the art! I’ll post your statue photo once it arrives! – Craig


Sly & RockyPeru

Craig / / 2008, Sly Fan

SZoner, RockyPeru, checked in with a couple of photos. The first of him with Sly was taken two years ago. The second was from a recent trip to Philly to relieve the magic! Thanks to RockyPeru for sharing! – Craig

Sly – The Last Action Hero?

Craig / / 2008
Alan Granville for tvnz.co.nz posts an article which explores why Sly is the last true action hero. Here are some excerpts:

* Step forward Mr. Sylvester Stallone, 61 years old and one of the last true action heroes we have left… no-one has been more successful and more consistent in trying to make people explode or be pummelled than Stallone.

* Stallone has major Hollywood pedigree. He was Oscar nominated for Best Actor and Best Screenplay for Rocky back in 1976 (the movie went on to win Best Picture). He co-wrote and directed all the subsequent sequels, including last year’s commercial and critical hit Rocky Balboa, itself a major gamble which paid off.

* Stallone is also incredibly popular around the world. Even when films tank or do middling business in the USA they still perform well elsewhere.

* Another thing which is in Stallone’s favour is that he comes across as a nice guy in interviews. He seems funny, self-effacing and happy to joke about his on screen image. He is also said to be highly intelligent and comes across as a guy you could go for a beer (or protein shake) with.

* Stallone keeps bouncing back.

For the full article click HERE. [Oh, and Sly didn’t direct “Rocky V” despite Mr. Granville giving him credit for it.] – Craig

One More Again?

Craig / / 2008, Rambo
Reports have been circulating over the internet that Sly not only plans to bring Rambo back for another film, but also intends to take him into a new genre. According to an interview in BreakingNews.ie, a newspaper in Sweden, Sly said, “I would like to take Rambo to another genre, experiment a little with the character… It would definitely not be another war movie. I can’t go any further with that than what I’ve already done. What it’s going to be like, I’m not going to reveal at this point. But I’m already halfway though writing the manuscript.”
Other reports indicate that sets are already being put into place for filming in Bulgaria on what would be the fifth Rambo outing.

Please remember that these are just rumors at this point. – Craig