July/August News - The G-Train is Back on Track!

Hanging with happy Muscle Campers between sets!

MUSCLE CAMP - Happy Summer to you! I just returned from another successful Muscle Camp in Las Vegas. IFBB Pros Shawn Ray, Dexter Jackson, Chris Cormier, Jay Cutler, Craig Titus, Melvin Anthony and I had the pleasure of executing some hands on, one-on-one with a group of fans that braved the desert heat to train with us during the NPC USA weekend. We had a great time; not only was it fun hanging with the guys (and our lovely wives) all weekend, but I always enjoy working with fans and being able to teach them what I know about bodybuilding.

Catching up with the guys for a little pre-Muscle Camp pow-wow in Las Vegas. Is that a pre-training meal you have there, Flex?

Muscle Camp was covered by the Discovery Channel, which will air on TLC as part of a "behind-the-scenes" of the USA show, AND it was also filmed for a DVD that Shawn and his team are producing. The DVD will be made available on my site for those of you who couldn't attend or for those who want to have a permanent record of their weekend training with us! If you haven't had a chance to be part of a Muscle Camp, I highly recommend. Check out upcoming camps on Shawn's site and be sure to book yourself a spot. I'll be joining Shawn for one in Ireland, November 9 (I've an Irish name, you know!). Contact Brian Bullman for info. Check out the poster!

-----2004 SEASON ANNOUNCEMENT------

Before I go any further, I'd like to officially say I'm back in action and have begun prepping to be on stage for 2004!!! However, in the words of Groucho Marx, "a funny thing happened on the way to the forum…" Well, not quite the forum; how about the USA's…. So, I was making my way to my seat at the NPC USA to watch Shawn Ray protégé Rich Jones take it all home (congrats Rich -you looked great) and I ran into FLEX photographer Chris Lund, aka "The Task Master." I exchanged greetings with Chris, expressing how I was looking forward to shooting with him before the Pro Ironman. Well, this seemed to surprise Chris; evidently he was under the impression, thanks to the ol' rumor mill, that the G-Train was permanently derailed and finished. You know, KO'd, out to pasture, done, kaput, finito, etc. Well, this couldn't be further from the truth!! The only thing that is "done" about me is that I am damn well "done" rehabbing my leg from a surgery that kept me out of 2003 season! I am 100% healthy and ready to roll. I'd rather not call this a comeback, because I never went anywhere! I'd prefer to call it Garrett's 2004 flagship season. I won't engage in extended pre-contest hype and boast about being 20 lbs. heavier and knocking out this competitor and that competitor, yada, yada, yada. Simply put - "I will not sing it; I'll just bring it."

G-TRAIN on TRACK - Now that my leg's fully healed, I swear my strength gains come daily! It was strange missing a season; I've competed every year since my first show, the 1993 NPC Ironman, which I won. However, taking forced time off gave me perspective on life AND a very fired up attitude towards training and competing. It just might've been the break I needed. And, effective as you're reading this, Hany Rambod, aka the Wizard, is leading the G-Train back on track for my '04 season. Right before I got injured, I hooked up with Hany and my legs were exploding in a matter of weeks.

Derik Farnsworth putting me through the paces on legs! My tendon is clearly stronger than ever!

I have no doubt I'll see similar and greater improvements this season. Having Hany by my side, along with my own iron constitution, will be a winning combination. We kick it off in September. "Whatcha' gonna' do brother, when the G-Train rolls on through?! Whoo!" Okay, I watched way too many WWF episodes of the Hulkster as a kid. At least this gives you a taste of my level of excitement.

TV APPEARANCES & PR - In other news, I had fun on the live TV show "Test the Nation," where groups of 40 of bodybuilders, blondes, teachers, scientists, students, construction workers & celebrities (included Heidi Fleiss, who needed a meal...), were pitted against each other in the MENSA IQ test. I was selected as the bodybuilder spokesperson, my reputation in front of the camera proceeding me from my winning of "The Weakest Link" on screen in November. We were scored collectively and well, you guessed it, the bodybuilders didn't exactly come out on the top of the IQ chain. Quite funny. We tied for last in our collective IQ with the blondes! What a riot. You know, it's probably a good thing that scientists and teachers came out ahead. Because help us all if bodybuilders are smarter than those leading the country's research and educating future generations!!!!

Excerpt from the UCSD Sports Medicine Fundraising brochure

I'm finding I enjoy camera work and expect to be doing more such things. I'll be filming a video/DVD for Weider Publications this month in LA. Should be an excellent project. Will share more about its release when I know details. And, lastly, my leg has made such a great recovery that Robert Pedowitz, MD, PhD, my orthopaedic surgeon, whose care was phenomenal, asked me if I'd give a featured testimonial in the University of California, San Diego's Sports Medicine Fundraising materials. I was more than happy to, given how thrilled I am with my tendon and leg being fully put back together! Check out the brochure here.

OFF to WORK - That's a wrap for now. Time to hit the gym with IFBB Pro Derik "the Freak" Farnsworth and Pete Ciccone, who is doing the Team Universe next week, both of whom take pleasure in my pain, which will lead to more growth and success in a few short months!!!

-Garrett
Garrett Downing, IFBB Pro Bodybuilder

P.S. Thanks for all the GREAT support and well wishes so many of you gave me while my leg healed.