EducationAlma materWebsiteClarence Bass (born 1937 in ) is an writer, fitness expert, and retired lawyer. He is best known for his book and DVD series Ripped, which chronicle his fitness, including becoming a past-40 bodybuilding champion. Bass was a writer for where he had a question and answer column.
He has continued to write, documenting his fitness over a span of approximately 60 years in various books that he has released since 1980. He is featured in the books Second Wind and Legends of the Iron Game. In the June 2017 issue of, Bass was named 'one of America’s greatest fitness visionaries.' Contents.Early life and education Bass was born in in 1937. His parents were both in the health field, one a doctor and the other a nurse.He attended, where as a junior, he won the New Mexico State Championship in the pentathlon. He excelled in wrestling, placing second in the New Mexico State Championships his senior year. Although he began lifting weights at the age of 13, it was during high school that he began to get into Olympic lifting, which helped lead him into a career in health and fitness.Bass earned an undergraduate in psychology from the, then attended the.
While obtaining his law degree, he focused his athletics primarily on weightlifting, achieving a 275-pound Olympic press, a 245 snatch, and 325 with a body weight of 180 lbs. After graduation, he went on to practice law in Albuquerque. Career Bass began his professional career as a lawyer practicing in Albuquerque. During his time as an attorney, he became prominent in the world of fitness and retired from the legal field in 1994 to concentrate on health and fitness full-time.
While also working full-time as a lawyer, Bass entered numerous bodybuilding competitions and won numerous awards.Bass entered his first bodybuilding competition in 1976. A year later in 1977, he measured a of 2.4%, measured using hydrostatic weighing at Lovelace Medical Center. His first successful competition was at the New Mexico Bodybuilding Championship in 1978, taking home the awards for 'Best Legs' and 'Most Muscular'. The same year he began competing in the national Past 40 competitions, winning the AAU Past 40 Mr. America, short class.
The next year he won his class in the AAU Past 40 Mr. USA, along with the overall awards for Best Legs, Best Abdominals, and Most Muscular Man.
His final year of competition came in 1980, again competing in the Past 40 Mr. He placed 2nd in the middleweight class and subsequently retired from competition.Bass was featured in the book Second Wind: The Rise of the Ageless Athlete. In the book, he addressed his reasons for retiring from competition, stating, “I had nothing to gain and everything to lose.” He added, “I developed my reputation with new photos every few years and these contests aren’t a lot of fun.”. Bass wrote his first book in 1980, the same year he retired from competition. Titled Ripped: The Sensible Way to Achieve Ultimate Muscularity, the book detailed his fitness routine and how he reduced his body fat to 2.4%. It also documented his experience during his bodybuilding competitions, including the Past-40 Mr. America and Mr.
USA contests.The book was originally sent to Bill Reynolds, then editor in chief of Muscle & Fitness, who shared it with Joe Weider. The book led to Bass being invited to write a column in the magazine, which ran over the course of sixteen years.Bass and his wife Carol formed Ripped Enterprises the same year, a company he uses to sell his books and related items.Bass continued writing for Muscle & Fitness, and released a follow-up book entitled Ripped 2 which was then followed by Ripped 3. From 1984 to 1994, he published additional books including Lean Advantage, a three-book series composed of various writings from his time at Muscle & Fitness. He also published the book Lean for Life which was released in 1989.
Bass has released additional books since the 1996 release of Challenge Yourself, a summary of his diet and training.His books led to a series of DVDs, which he first released in 2002 in collaboration with Wayne and Tina Gallasch of GMV Productions. The first was based on his book Ripped, with additional DVDs following in 2003 and 2004.Bass' fitness training has also extended past bodybuilding, also concentrating on indoor rowing. By 1992, he was ranked 21st in the world for light-heavyweight men ages 50 to 59. His highest ranking came in 2003 when he was 4th in the 500-meter row for light-weight men ages 60 to 69. Bibliography.
—— (1980). Ripped: The Sensible Way to Achieve Ultimate Muscularity.
Clarence Bass' Ripped Enterprises. —— (1982). Clarence Bass' Ripped Enterprises. —— (1984). The Lean Advantage.
Clarence Bass' Ripped Enterprises. —— (1986). Ripped 3: The Recipes, The Routines and The Reasons. Clarence Bass' Ripped Enterprises. —— (1989). The Lean Advantage 2: The Second Four Years.
Clarence Bass' Ripped Enterprises. —— (1992).
Lean For Life: Stay Motivated and Lean Forever. Clarence Bass' Ripped Enterprises. —— (1994). The Lean Advantage 3: Four More Years. Clarence Bass' Ripped Enterprises. —— (1999).
Challenge Yourself: Leanness, Fitness & Health At Any Age. Clarence Bass' Ripped Enterprises. —— (2007). Great Expectations: Health, Fitness, Leanness Without Suffering.
Clarence Bass' Ripped Enterprises. —— (2013). Take Charge: Fitness at the Edge of Science. Clarence Bass' Ripped Enterprises.Filmography. Clarence Bass (2002). Ripped, The DVD (DVD).
GMV Productions and Clarence Bass Ripped Enterprises. Clarence Bass (2003). The Second Ripped DVD (DVD).
GMV Productions and Clarence Bass Ripped Enterprises. Clarence Bass (2003).
The Third Ripped DVD (DVD). GMV Productions and Clarence Bass Ripped Enterprises.Awards and recognition Bass has won numerous awards throughout his career in bodybuilding. He was among 100 UNM graduates chosen by the Alumni Association to represent the 'Best Efforts' of the university on the occasion of its 100th anniversary. In 2003, The Association of Oldetime Barbell & Strongmen honored him with its highest award, the Vic Boff Award for lifetime achievement. Photos of Bass from ages 15 to 70 are on display in the at the at.
In 2013, experts in exercise physiology gathered at the Stark Center to celebrate Bass' lifetime achievements and discuss his book Take Charge. References. Retrieved 5 September 2014. Muscle & Strength.
Retrieved 5 September 2014. Holman, Steve (10 January 2009). Ironman Magazine. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
^ Bergquist, Lee (2009). Second Wind The Rise of the Ageless Athlete. Human Kinetics.
Pearl, Bill (2010). Legends of the Iron Game. Bill Pearl Enterprises. Heil, Nick (1 June 2017). 'Generations: 79 is the New 29'. Pp. 126–131.
^ Miller, Carl (2005). The Miller Fitness Plan.
Sunstone Press. ^. Poliquin Group. 24 October 2011.
Archived from on 19 September 2013. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
^. Ageless Timeless. Retrieved 5 September 2014. Beardsley, Chris (12 March 2012). The Garage Gym.
Retrieved 5 September 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2014. Pearl, Bill (2005). Getting Stronger: Weight Training for Sports.
Shelter Publications, Inc. GMV Productions. Retrieved 5 September 2014. Retrieved 2010-08-23. Lutcher Stark Center. Retrieved 14 September 2014. Stark Center.
Retrieved 10 September 2014.External links.
As a nutrition and training expert, bodybuilder Clarence Bass has, for almost 30 years, made it his job to inform and educate all who seek optimal health and a magnificent physique.A prolific author and designer of the unique Ripped system of training and nutrition, Clarence is one man who truly practices what he preaches, as exemplified by height class wins at both the 1978 past-40 Mr. America and 1979 past-40 Mr U.S.A. And the ripped-to-the-bone appearance he maintains year in and out.While many argue that optimal conditioning and adherence to the kinds of training and nutrition strategies that create such a state are next to impossible to maintain, Clarence shows that this path is not only achievable but also desirable.Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Clarence, a trained lawyer who retired from legal practice in 1994, has for the past 13 years devoted his life to studying and writing about the fitness lifestyle, an interest he has had since he began lifting weights at age 13.
Clarence first gained notoriety as an athlete after winning his first athletic award in 1954, when as a junior he won the State High School Pentathlon Championship.As a senior he excelled in, placing second in the State Championship. As he developed physically, Clarence decided to push his muscular capabilities to the limit so beginning his foray into Olympic lifting. Here he excelled also: for over 20 years he would win numerous state, regional and national trophies in this sport; his best Olympic lifts being 275 pounds in the Standing Press a 245 pound Snatch and a 325 pound Clean & Jerk.
Click Image To Enlarge.Clarence Bass At Age 24 - Olympic Lifting Years.He then turned his attention to bodybuilding and the rest, so they say, is history. Over subsequent years Clarence would feature regularly in Joe Weider's Muscle and Fitness magazine, where he would also have his own column. As well he would write his successful, widely read, series of Ripped books and inspire a nation to devote their lives to health and fitness.An articulate and intelligent spokesman for the sport of bodybuilding, Clarence, as one of us, has redefined the iron game as a health pursuit. As one of the first men ever to attain a sub-three percent body fat measurement Clarence, today at 69, and as Ripped as ever, still trains regularly and with great intensity.In the following interview he discusses his long career and gives valuable insights into how we can all improve our health and fitness through bodybuilding. Q You have been described as the most articulate and well-read spokesman in America for an all-round fitness lifestyle.
What would you say your biggest contribution to health and fitness has been since you began in the industry? A Probably showing that you can stay lean and fit for years on end-and still live a normal and productive life.
Click Image To Enlarge.Clarence Bass At 65. Q Your many books have inspired people of all ages to reach their physical potential. What are some of the main messages you try to get across? A That enjoyment is the key to staying. No one will train or eat for long in a way they don't enjoy-and it's not necessary. Sensible exercise and healthy eating can and should be a joy.Making progress toward a meaningful is the most rewarding and enjoyable thing you can do.
You can always find ways to improve; use your imagination. Once you stop challenging yourself, it's over; you're toast. Q What projects are you involved in these days? A I'm working on a new book; I just finished chapter five. I've already written eight books, so it's hard to find meaningful new things to write about. My last book, was published in 1999; and it's taken a while to accumulate enough material for a new book.Each book has been different; I try never to cover the same ground again. (Some repetition is inevitable, of course.) Fortunately, as I get older and continue to train I find new challenges and learn new things, most of which apply to young and old.
That's what the new book will be about. Click Image To Enlarge.Clarence Bass. Q As a height class winner at the Past-40 Mr. America contest in 1978 and in the Past-40 Mr.
Clarence Bass Bodybuilding
In 1979, you have been there and done it as a bodybuilder. How did you train and diet for these shows?
A I learned a lot preparing for those contests; I tell about what I did right-and wrong-in my first book,. My basic diet principle was (and is) to avoid concentrated calories; eat foods that fill you up without giving you too many calories. Whole foods with nothing added or subtracted do that best. My training, then and now, is that 'less is more.' I believe in hard, infrequent, and progressive training-weights and aerobics. It's better to do too little than too much.
I also walk on off days, then and now, to burn calories and speed; but I don't approach walking as a workout. Q So you find a less-is-more approach suitable as you age, as your slows? Is your diet the same also? A Yes. I eat a balanced diet of whole foods. My training is an equal balance of weights and aerobics. I always challenge myself to improve and avoid.
I enjoy my training and never miss a scheduled workout. Click Image To Enlarge.Clarence Bass. Q As we become more knowledgeable about health and fitness, how we view diet and training tends to change. How has your approach to diet and exercise evolved over the years? A I've gotten a little smarter and wiser, but the basic principles haven't changed. I had my right hip replaced a little more than a year ago, which required some adjustments.I've written an article about it on our website called 'Miracle in Houston ' (#161 in our Fitness & Health category). It's a long story, with a happy ending.
Compare my old and new photos on our 'training pictorial' page; you won't see any change in my right leg. Q Of the many articles found on your website, highlight the benefits of aerobic exercise. In your view what are the primary benefits of cardiovascular training? A Some say that weight training is all you need. I don't agree. Total fitness requires balanced training,. Experts used to tell us that aerobic exercise is all you need for health.
That's changed; almost everyone now agrees that we need both resistance training and aerobics to stay healthy.Simply put, strength training builds and maintains the muscles and bones, while aerobic exercise does the same for the heart, lungs and circulatory system.In addition, aerobic exercise trains the body to burn and conserves glycogen ( stored in the muscles and liver). A combination of weights and aerobics does a far better job of keeping us fit, lean and healthy than either one alone. Click Image To Enlarge.Clarence Bass. Q You have discussed the importance of aerobic exercise for improving brain function.
How does it do this? A It's been know for many years that aerobic exercise brings blood and oxygen to the brain, which supports cognitive function and lifts one's spirits. New technology, MRIs in particular, now show that aerobic exercise actually promotes brain function. Weights pump up your muscles and aerobics pump up your brain. Q What are some of the best foods available for maintaining health and wellbeing?
Why are they beneficial? A , whole grains, lean protein and 'good' fat. Basically, that combination supplies the nutrients we need to stay happy and healthy.
The details are summed up nicely in article #153, Diet & Nutrition category, on our website ; the title is 'Simple Diet Patterns for Good Health.' Q In your view, how closely linked are our emotions to what we eat and the effect food has on the way we look and feel? A The food we eat does affect our emotions. One key is to keep blood sugar on an even keel; that makes you feel good and helps to avoid eating binges.
The best way to do that is to eat regular, balanced meals (I try never to miss a meal) and stay ahead of the hunger curve. Again, eat mainly whole foods and avoid processed foods. Click Image To Enlarge.Clarence Bass. Q What advice would you give someone who wants to lose weight and feel good?
A Take your time; it took a while to put weight on and it takes time to get it off. Don't make yourself miserable by biting off more than you are willing and able to chew-diet or exercise. Don't starve yourself or allow cravings to develop. Eat mainly whole foods and exercise, weights and aerobics. Do that consistently over time and you'll lose weight and keep it off-and feel good doing it. Q In your 1979 book (the first of three) you told of how you managed to achieve a 2.4 percent.
Could you tell our readers how you managed this? A One might say that I did it backwards. My body fat was 2.4% the first time my body composition was measured. Lovelace Medical Foundation in Albuquerque (where we live) was doing research to determine the best form of exercise to allow the astronauts to tolerate weightlessness in space.They were looking for a weight trained athlete and invited me to come for testing.
As part of the testing, they weighed me underwater; it's called hydrostatic weighing, and it's the gold standard for measuring body composition. They determined that my body fat was 2.4%, and explained that the average college student is about 15% and men approaching 40, my age, are usually 25% or more.Measuring Body Fat:.
By. By. By.When I heard that I knew that many people would be interested in how I became so lean; I wanted to know more about it myself. I'd been watching my diet and exercising (first weights, and then weights and aerobics) all my life. In fact, I was planning to enter the Past 40 Mr.
America contest when I met the age requirement. Click Image To Enlarge.Age 41 - Mr. America Past 40, Short Class.That started me on a decade's long study of the best way to become lean and healthy-and stay that way. You'll find many more details about my diet and training, and what I learned, in (which will enter its 11th printing later this year). Q Thank you for you time Clarence. It is good hearing from someone with your level of experience.
Clarence Bass Ripped Pdf Merge Video
How would you summarize your career as a health and fitness educator to date? A My career as an educator is based on my personal experience as an athlete and the additional knowledge gained from reading widely in the fields of nutrition, fitness and psychology. I started training with weights at about 13, which helped in my athletic endeavors in high school.I also had an early interest in nutrition (high school) and psychology (college).
I have tried to convey what I've learned in the articles and books I've written, in lectures I've given, and in many personal consultations.Publication of Ripped, the first book, opened the door for me to write a column in Muscle & Fitness magazine called The Ripped Department. It ran for 16 years and became the longest continuing column in the history of the magazine.We started our website in 1996 and will be posting my 185th online article with our April 1 update.
I hope through all of this that people understand that having vibrant health and fitness is an achievable goal for nearly anyone.My education, beginning with my early training and athletic competitions, and vastly accelerated by my first underwater weighing at Lovelace, has been a long and fascinating journey of discovery. I hope the learning never stops.Thanks for the interview and all my best to your many readers.Clarence's Training Pictorial - From Age 15 To 69:Ripped EnterprisesPO Box 51236Albuquerque, New Mexico AddressRipped Enterprises528 Chama, NEAlbuquerque, New Mexico 87108USA.