By Dan “The Mayor” Dillon
I just returned from a trip to Montanari Brothers Gym, one of the East Coast’s great gyms, and I’m not sure if I will ever sleep again. For my friend Rob and I, this was our first trip to the New Haven based gym, and man was it impressive!! It invokes the spirit and soul of old school bodybuilding, the type of bodybuilding built on hard work and mutual respect. This place is living proof you can still be “Hardcore” without the obnoxious Meathead attitude.
When you walk inside you’re greeted by the actual Montanari Brothers, the owners of the gym, and these guys treat you like family from the start. Rob and I trained early. With all the machines and heavy dumbbells it’s no wonder this is the home of IFBB Pro Evan Centopani. Evan gives his fans a lot of his time and he treats all the young bodybuilders with respect.
We also talked with Jose Raymond and Jon Delarosa. Let’s just say, bodybuilding could use more guys like these two. On the way out we ran into Victor Martinez, he’s looking lean and we talked about putting together another Fit for Autism event. Victor and I have this in common with our kids and he has raised money for this great cause in the past. Yes bodybuilders do good deeds.
Our visit included a seminar, another great reminder of how well-spoken some bodybuilders are and how much dedication it takes to compete as a top pro. The hot topic was scoring the posing round in bodybuilding. Lots of different opinions on the topic! The role of social media was also discussed and everyone agreed that there’s plenty of good and bad that come with it. The fans were able to ask questions and the pros gave some great answers.
As for me, I left this event understanding why I spend my time and money on bodybuilding. To put it simply, the Bodybuilding Brotherhood is very real. It connects us all and builds friendships. I’d like to personally thank the Montanari Brothers, their great staff, and all the amazing pro athletes who helped create a weekend I won’t soon forget.
Related Story: Thanks to Arnold, Posing Matters Again. By John Hansen
At the heart of the sport of bodybuilding is a community of passionate, die-hard fans. Digital Muscle is pleased to present this blog by Dan Dillon, widely regarded as the sport’s biggest fan! Known in bodybuilding circles as “The Mayor of Bodybuilding”, Dillon embraces his role as a “Super Fan” and he’s got plenty of stories to tell. You’ll find them here!
