Vin Marco

[builder boy]

Awesome.  Thx 4 the continuous updates and schedule.   Keeps us updated and pluggged in.  Looking good 

[+ Socalguy]

3 hours ago, Vin Marco said:

I'm not quite where I want to be with respect to my conditioning but in 6 weeks ( exactly from today ) I'll have given it my all once again to keep elevating and pushing my own bar. Again, I'm pleased with where I am today but I'm even more excited about where I'll be physically speaking at the end of this diet prep. These diet preps and target 🎯 dates ( sometimes there's a photo shoot connected to them ) help to keep me improving year after year and help keep me in my youth ( as much as one can to fend off the inevitable 🤣😉😎 )  

D 

This pic is amazing. Your dedication is seriously inspiring ❤️ 

[myophile]

3 hours ago, Vin Marco said:

I'm not quite where I want to be with respect to my conditioning but in 6 weeks ( exactly from today ) I'll have given it my all once again to keep elevating and pushing my own bar. Again, I'm pleased with where I am today but I'm even more excited about where I'll be physically speaking at the end of this diet prep. These diet preps and target 🎯 dates ( sometimes there's a photo shoot connected to them ) help to keep me improving year after year and help keep me in my youth ( as much as one can to fend off the inevitable 🤣😉😎 )  

D 

Thank you for explaining this, Danny. It’s important for people — folks and friends! — to realize how critical these intensely focused growth and refinement projects are for you, and other physique stars. Bodybuilding is an art form, and like any other art form, native talent (genetic advantage) is the base, but creating a masterpiece requires, on top of that, endless practice (brutal training), phenomenal discipline (diet and supplementation), and above all, a clear artistic goal, a VISION of the body you are trying to achieve. It’s both fascinating, and frankly humbling, to learn something about your progress.

[myophile]

4 minutes ago, Vin Marco said:

You nearly rendered me speechless... I've always said that you have a wonderful way with words. Thank you for taking the time to write what you wrote... I've said it before and I'll say it again my friend, you just "get it" the longer  I know you the more I realize it... motivation and inspiration are two-way streets  so is positive energy and I feed off the beautiful energy you exude. Every single time I see you I leave feeling better than I did before I saw you. That's just the kind of person you are. You have quite a remarkable story that would shake and move a lot of people. Keep doing your thing 🥰

 

Danny 

[myophile]

15 hours ago, Vin Marco said:

And.... from one aesthete to another 👯‍♂️

Aw, bro — you’re too kind! And honestly, to the extent that I am progressing in my physical transformation journey, I owe you a significant debt of gratitude, for helping me along The Way. From the first time we met you have supported and encouraged me in my quest for physical excellence, always ready with valuable advice drawn from your own phenomenal success. I am the merest Padawan Learner; but if I “get it,” even a little bit, it’s partly because of your generosity. 
 

💪🏻😘

Edited September 3, 2024 by myophile

[alexslaveboy]

14 hours ago, Vin Marco said:

Right back at you 🙏🏽 I mean that my good man. 

This is where I am today ( photos taken today ) exactly 4 weeks into my diet prep with 6 more weeks to go. I feel like I'm in a very good place and exactly where I should be for having six more weeks to go... even after all these years, I truly believe at the end of this diet prep, I will have gotten myself into the best physical version of myself to date.  It's absolutely mind blowing how good habits make time an ally.  I'm looking forward to seeing lots of familiar faces ( and new ones too ) after this diet prep..  Southern California, Phoenix, Columbus and the east Coast in that order...  

 

Danny 

j

Danny!

you are looking incredible and I am so very impressed with your dedication and commitment to your conditioning of your physique and well being 

i am sure that I speak for all the members of this thread when I say THANK YOU for keeping us all updated with your amazing photos of your current condition and your professionalism and dedication to the members here on this journey of Vin Marco 2024!!!   

[crushme99]

Remarkable physique.  I think "newcomers" like me should get together with you as a group and compete for the title of "Best Muscle Worshiper."  But a good deal of time would need to be reserved for the contest.  Doing hands-on justice to ALL THAT MUSCLE would require . . . lots . . . . . . of careful . . . . . . . . . thorough . . . . . . . . . . . . exploration.

Edited September 5, 2024 by crushme99

[crushme99]

On 9/5/2024 at 12:22 PM, Vin Marco said:

Awwww 🥰🙌🏽🙏🏽 Thank youuuu 🙏🏽 that sounds like a winning proposition for all 😜 including myself 😂

One of these days, buster.  Because, strange as it may seem in the wild and wooly world of chat rooms and such, I'm sincere about it.  

[alexslaveboy]

@Vin Marco are you going to catch me when I faint at the very sight of you in person??????????  💪💪😍😍😈😈

 

[alexslaveboy]

13 hours ago, Vin Marco said:

Catch, carry, hold...  you bet my guy! 

💙💙💪💪

@Vin Marco   I am most definitely looking forward to the carry and hold part! 💪😍💯

[crushme99]

17 hours ago, Vin Marco said:

Don't threaten me with a good time 😜 

No worries.  After all, a "threat" may or may not be carried out.

18 hours ago, Vin Marco said:

Most people will not be able to tell the difference but theres a significant difference in the detail of my abdominals . 

I forget if I have mentioned this (and probably will forget again in the future) but in past years I have helped with photo-video work at several NPC shows in our Minnesota-Dakotas region.  This was primarily of competitors on stage but a number of individual photoshoots, too.  (G-Rated)  I am by no means an expert, but your definition and conditioning seems off the charts right now.  You will frighten small children and cause adults to faint if you "crank up the heat and intensity" much more.

17 hours ago, Vin Marco said:

Even as I lose weight my V taper becomes more obvious and evident

I am continually amazed by the fine-tuning which serious bodybuilders can accomplish – and how quickly their bodies can change (for good or ill).  The day before a show, show day itself, and then the day after can hinge on factors which seem so small to us on the outside.  To me, that confirms there are no "dumb jocks" fumbling around at your level.

[builder boy]

Thank you for the daily doses of Danny.    I think we all agree you look spectacular, thx 4 the daily pics.     

[myophile]

1 hour ago, Vin Marco said:

To your point my good man.... even after 1 day of HIGH CARBOHYDRATES the body can look drastically different and of course function drastically different . In the process of eliminating unwanted body fat by staying low carbs for days on end the lack of glycogen in the muscles can give them  sort of a "flat" look making pumps in the gym a bit more onerous to attain.  Thankfully, yesterday I broke that cycle and had a very high carb day and this is what I looked like this morning, not pumped as today is a day off from the weights. I did a little cardio here at home and went to the gym  around the corner from my house to snap a few progress photos.

After tomorrow, I have five weeks to really push myself to new highs and my own all time best 😎

@myophile you asked me to keep posting my PR's... while I didn't break a PR yesterday. I certainly hit it again. Something I had not done in 10 years. The last time I l leg pressed this much weight I was living in Palm Springs 10 years ago. I was able to rep  out 10 repetitions on my eighth set and I did the same thing yesterday. ( and yes, I re-rack my weights 😜 ) 

 

 

My man! Frankly, a feat like that, achieved AGAIN after ten years’ hiatus, absolutely stands as a new “personal best” in my book. To the group, full disclosure: Danny is sharing gym stories with me because he knows that for me, it counts as “talking dirty,” and has exactly the same effect …

Edited September 8, 2024 by myophile

[adunn1992]

Looking good, friend. Keep crushing your goals, and five weeks will be here in no time! You got this.

[+ BobPS]

36 minutes ago, Vin Marco said:

I've said it before and I'll say it again until you and everybody else is blue on the face... inspiration and motivation is a two-way street. Each and every time you @myophiletell me about a great workout,  a great pump and or you share with me pictures of your spectacular progress,  the shape of that bicep that looks like it's as hard as nails and that has developed a split 🍑 it  both inspires and motivates me to keep on going! 

I may not have started this thread that's dedicated to me, but I'm certainly happy it exists... i've read a lot of wonderful comments, generous and kind words, and I've even met people because of this thread so maybe it's not so weird that I post and comment on it with progress photos.... if you think I look OK today wait until you see what I look like in five weeks. If my photos and my story can inspire and motivate just one person,  I feel like i've succeeded and that I have contributed in a positive manner. I'm not 22 years old anymore and if I can keep on improving year after year, so can anybody else. It's not even up for adjudication that I am in far better physical condition, much more symmetrical, much more muscular and much more defined vs what I looked like  10 and 15 years ago! If I can do it, so can anybody and everybody else. 

 

 

“Adjudication “ have you been hanging out with members of the legal profession?LOL😂

[myophile]

40 minutes ago, Vin Marco said:

I've said it before and I'll say it again until you and everybody else is blue on the face... inspiration and motivation is a two-way street. Each and every time you @myophiletell me about a great workout,  a great pump and or you share with me pictures of your spectacular progress,  the shape of that bicep that looks like it's as hard as nails and that has developed a split 🍑 it  both inspires and motivates me to keep on going! 

I may not have started this thread that's dedicated to me, but I'm certainly happy it exists... i've read a lot of wonderful comments, generous and kind words, and I've even met people because of this thread so maybe it's not so weird that I post and comment on it with progress photos.... if you think I look OK today wait until you see what I look like in five weeks. If my photos and my story can inspire and motivate just one person,  I feel like i've succeeded and that I have contributed in a positive manner. I'm not 22 years old anymore and if I can keep on improving year after year, so can anybody else. It's not even up for adjudication that I am in far better physical condition, much more symmetrical, much more muscular and much more defined vs what I looked like  10 and 15 years ago! If I can do it, so can anybody and everybody else. 

 

 

Aw, thank you, buddy — you sure know how to sweet-talk a wannabe meathead! 

💪🏻😍

[alexslaveboy]

7 hours ago, Vin Marco said:

Hopefully this one is a bit more clear... those that know, "grainy" is a desirable look as it pertains to bodybuilding and physical conditioning 😜

Better and better with every post @Vin Marco   🔥🔥💪💪👀💙💙

[+ Rickee]

7 hours ago, Vin Marco said:

* learned a bit of legal jargon 

( still patiently waiting to surpass "newbie" member status so I can edit and correct typos caused by a fat thumb 😜 ) 

I don’t think “fat” can possibly describe ANY part of your body. Although possibly there’s one exception….

[Jeeper84]

You are killing me with those biceps, Danny... 🤪

[alexslaveboy]

1 hour ago, Jeeper84 said:

You are killing me with those biceps, Danny... 🤪

Same here!!! 👀👅💪💪💪💪

[myophile]

3 hours ago, Vin Marco said:

You're kind to say my long time pal. Im human, I'm not immune to mental exhaustion ( luckily it's not my body that gets tired from what I put it through ) which leads to hiatuses and moratoriums from training and my usual diet that leads to getting a bit fluffy from time to time,  not often but once in a great while...  sometimes it feels real good to let go of the reigns but after about two weeks, it starts to suck 😜 I  am exceedingly good at being elusive when that does occur that's why you'll be hard-pressed to find any "off-season" photos of floating around 😜

Here's a photo taken this morning.. I usually do cardio at home except on Mondays because that's when I check in with my diet coach and I like to utilize the same lights and mirror for consistency and continuity.. The stair climber was being utilized, so I quickly got slight upper body pump while I waited, and I pumped up my arms "un peu 🤏🏽"

For most of my "career" my arms were never my strong point. I've always been very chest and quad dominant. In fact I had a trainer/coach in Palm Springs who had me train my legs once every 11 days so that the rest of my body could catch up.. now I'm quite satisfied with the size, shape and hardness of my arms. Even when they weren't as big as I wanted them to be, they were always as hard as nails, they always had a lovely split, but now there'

I look forward to connecting with you again @Rickee You've always been one of the good ones and we're even pals from the MSS days 🫂😘 ( and thanks again for always providing the black coffee ☕️ ) 😜

re so much bigger than they were five and 10 years ago. 

Jeeeeesus, big guy 💪🏻😳

Those guns look like Larry Scott’s in his prime, and I can bestow no higher compliment!

 

[myophile]

22 minutes ago, Vin Marco said:

 @myophile this is a  comparison of my bicep over the course of 19 years... we went the first time in 2005, we went back in 2006 and then again in 2007 and I believe this photo was from that first trip in 2005... we left for Cabo San Lucas immediately after the 2005 Mr. Olympia. The photo was taken at a place called Las Ventanas ( two Palm Springs gatherings ago a very kind board member introduced himself and told me he was there while the three of us were visiting the same resort  ) i'm not gonna name drop because I think it's kind of tacky and gross but there was a Russian female tennis player with her, then very famous Spanish singer boyfriend staying in the villa next to us who asked if they could squeeze our muscles 😜

We remember our friend who took us there telling us that first time, "you boys better enjoy this because this is luxury we will probably never see again" and we ended up going back two more times 😂🙏🏽 for a week all three times.

I always thought and hoped I would age well but the kind of progress I have made over the years even I can't believe. I know it's highly unusual, but I firmly believe that good habits make time an ally. I am not the biggest guy in the world nor am not the most genetically gifted guy in the world, but I am very disciplined and stubborn when it comes to meeting my goals and improving myself. I've said it before I'll say it again none of us escape the aging process, at some point I'll reach that fulcrum and begin the decline, but until that day comes, I'm gonna keep enjoying improving myself year after year. I know  cynics would love to ask how much longer do I plan to do this and the answer is as long as my body keeps responding to the stimulus and besides for me, it's never been better. I no longer have to grit my teeth. I don't have to see people I don't truly enjoy so it remains a win-win situation. I still absolutely love what I do and I enjoy the people I get to spend time with more than I have the words to articulate it. What more could I ask for?

I went back and looked at photos of Larry Scott in his prime — major masturbatory fodder for this adolescent muscle-hound — and fuck me running if Danny’s guns aren’t significantly bigger, and harder, too!

 

[+ nycman]

2 hours ago, Vin Marco said:

( two Palm Springs gatherings ago a very kind board member introduced himself and told me he was there while the three of us were visiting the same resort  )

Grin

As they say…and now for the rest of the story….

I was barely 30 years old. I had just broken up with what I had erroneously assumed was "the love of my life". We were two Alpha males who just couldn’t make it work. I was heart broken and lost. So I flew down to Las Ventanas in Cabo from NYC for a week. I needed to escape and try to piece my shattered life back together.

Now imagine you’re lying alone on a lounge chair at the nicest resort you’ve ever been to (before or since). And as you’re wallowing in self pity, out of nowhere appear three stunningly beautiful men walking around the pool. Over the course of the week I watched all 3 of them intently. They were incredibly masculine but also unfailingly kind, loving, and caring towards one another. I was in awe. I slowly came to the realization that you can be an Alpha male and still show love and respect towards other men. 

Later through the miracle of the internet, I would learn who these amazing men were. Luckily over the ensuing years I have had the opportunity to meet all three of them on separate occasions. On all 3 occasions I was terrified yet somehow managed to find the courage to walk up to each one of them and share my story. The last one was Danny 2 years ago at the Palm Springs gathering. I always say, "never meet your heroes". In this case, I was wrong. All 3 were gracious and every bit the gentlemen I dreamed they’d be.

A few lessons…

You never know who’s watching and whose life your actions are impacting. 
Never be afraid to tell a stranger the positive impact they’ve had on your life.
Work hard at patterning yourself after men you admire. 

Edited September 10, 2024 by nycman

[crushme99]

I am so glad that I have plugged into this really remarkable thread.  Sorry, "thread" is a pretty sterile internet term, isn't it?  This is a conversation among (at least many of you) who have known each other for quite some time and very clearly care about each other.  Please take a moment to consider how special and, sadly, rare that is these days – not just in a chat forum, but in the world around us.  

[mike carey]

3 hours ago, crushme99 said:

I am so glad that I have plugged into this really remarkable thread.  Sorry, "thread" is a pretty sterile internet term, isn't it?  This is a conversation among (at least many of you) who have known each other for quite some time and very clearly care about each other.  Please take a moment to consider how special and, sadly, rare that is these days – not just in a chat forum, but in the world around us.  

Danny is one of a kind (and kind he is). It's always great to see him. To the wider point, to be sure it seems too often that there is a lack of grace in chat and other forums, but both there and in our quotidian lives we take so much for granted and so rarely take time to pause and count our blessings, particularly the blessing we have in knowing those we hold dear.