Q & A with Jay: candid, uncut & like you've never seen him before!

Muscle & Fitness, July, 2005

Q I have almost no back development. I alternate between training my back once and twice a week, using both high reps with lighter weights and low reps with heavy weight, but I still haven't seen the results I'm looking for. Am I doomed to have a pathetic back forever? Any suggestions?

A "You have to stay with the core exercises--deadlifts, pull-ups, and rows. I'd suggest sticking with heavier weights and shooting for 8 to 10 reps. I prefer doing barbell rows with a reverse grip. This allows you to pull back a little farther and really contract the muscle. One-arm rows are also very good because they really allow you to get a stretch and then pull back hard. Using a one-arm isolateral movement really focuses on the lat and allows you to get that full contraction. On every exercise, I aim for 8 to 10 reps. You should be close to failing at the ninth or tenth rep, so that's how you should determine the weight to use. Do the movements in a powerlifting style, and really contract the muscle being worked. Contraction is the key!"

Q Injuries are probably the most frustrating aspect of training. Do you have any injuries yourself? What advice do you have for young body-builders to help them prevent and deal with injuries?

A "A lot of injuries are caused by ego training, which I did some of in the beginning. But, fortunately for me, I've never had any injuries. Anyone who does fall into the ego training trap or uses loose form is always at risk of injury. I would suggest using your head a little more. I'd opt for moderate weights rather than extremely heavy weights. Even though I could always do more weight, I'd rather focus on putting blood into the muscle, training with more volume, and stretching a lot. I get deep tissue work done once a week and feel it's very helpful, as it allows the muscles to repair correctly and keeps the strength of the muscle tissue. The deep tissue work also allows for more flexibility, which puts me at less risk for injury."

Q Jay, who in your opinion, are the three greatest bodybuilders of all time, and why?

A "The greatest body-builders of all time are Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lee Haney, and Ronnie Coleman. Arnold, because of what he represented. He was ahead of his time. Lee Haney was a great representative. He began winning the Mr. Olympia at 24 and retired by the age of 31 after eight Mr. Olympia wins. He was, and still is, a great spokesperson for the sport of bodybuilding. And then Coleman just pushed the envelope of what a Mr. Olympia should look like."

Q What MuscleTech[R] products do you use on a regular basis?

A "Along with CELL-TECH[TM], NITRO-TECH[R], and PUMP-TECH[TM], I use some of the bars, as well as ACETABOLAN III[R]. I use them throughout the day. I use CELL-TECH and PUMP-TECH more than anything because (1) I'm a carb freak, and (2) PUMP-TECH, I believe, is the best product that Team MuscleTech has released as of late."

Q Jay, I heard you like sushi. What's your favorite kind? How much sushi do you eat in one sitting? Do you use chopsticks?

A "I like spicy yellowtail sushi and spicy tuna. I like dragon rolls with eel and crab meat. I eat sushi a couple times a week--sometimes up to five times a week. I usually get about 5 rolls, which comes to about 40 pieces. I use chopsticks sometimes, but I have to be in the mood because they're a pain in the butt! I'd rather use my fingers. I always eat with plastic cutlery because the metal hurts my teeth."

Q I was thinking of getting into real estate. What do I have to do to get started and become established in the field like you are?

A "I started getting into real estate when I was 22 years old. I'd go to land auctions and learn about the paperwork and how the banks do things. There are a lot of deals that you can get if you know what to look for. I came to Las Vegas at a time when the market had kind of died down a little bit. There are a lot of investors here who have bought properties and are sitting on them now. I'm one of them. I have several properties that I'm trying to sell. I've also been floating a couple of mortgages on homes that are empty. I prepared myself for this and knew that this would be the case. I always try to buy homes on the first day they're on sale because I can negotiate a decent price. Get in at the first phase when you can buy something at a lower price, and make money once the value increases by the third phase of the home sale. The key is to have a broad perspective. Think of real estate as a savings account. You need to invest some money and not flip it over right away to try and make a quick buck. Instead, you keep your money invested, and over the long term, the value increases. A lot of people tend to jump into a purchase and then realize that they can't afford it. That's when they end up losing their property to foreclosure. You need to have credit to do it and money for the initial investment.

It's important to know where the market is hot and where it's not. That's why I moved to Las Vegas three years ago. Las Vegas has the hottest real-estate market in the country right now. Back in 1999, I used to live in Orange County, California, which was the hot real-estate area. I bought several properties there and sold them. I made my money and brought it to Vegas and rolled with it. If you want to do well in real estate, you may have to move and live in the property for six months and then sell it and move on."