picture gallery last update: 14 FEB 1999
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When in competition shape, they're furrowed
with deep separation and cross-striations. Full, diamond-shaped calves, complete the picture
of awesomely huge, balanced legs.
Not only are Belkenap's legs spectacular to observe, but they're unbelivably powerful. After returning from Europe with
the Mr. Universe title a few years back, he amazed everyone at Gold's Gym/Venice with a 705-pound full squat for three
reps at 205 pounds bodywaight!
Today, Tim is in the midst of a competitive comeback. With a new generation of fans who have never seen this phenomenon
of muscularity, bodybuilding enthusiasts are in for a rare treat. In just a few weeks, Belknap has already packed on 10 pounds
of solid muscle, and he'll soon be in his liftime best shape more than five years after his last competition. I met Tim at my Gold's
Gym office one saturday afeter he had finished his workout. He was in the company of his training partner, a shapely young
blonde, Kary Selvidge. "I never thought I'd take on a woman as a training partner", Tim smiled. "But she's reliable and very
enthusiastic. It's much more important that my training partner motivates me than she keep up with my poundages. The bottom
line is dedication and perseverance. Kary has both!". "I think teaching me correct technique helps Tim as well", adds Kary.
The "new" Tim Belknap promises to be improved in several ways. The most obvious is the mellowing of his once volatile
personality. He seems to enjoy his workouts a lot more than in the past. His aprroach to size and muscularity has also
evolved. "I put on size every easily from heavy training," says Belknap. "When I first came back, I put 595 pounds on the bar and
did some sets of squats. The weight felt light, but caused a severe lower back muscle spasm. I had a shooting pain down my leg.
I was sure I'd ruptured a disc, but three days later the pain went away. I know now that I should train lighter and with higher reps
this time". Leg work begins with the toughest exercise: strict full squat. Tim will use this exercise until the final month before his show.
At that time, he'll substitute a shaping exercise in its place. Keeping his back straight and facing forward, Tim descends at a
controlled speed to rock bottom, then blasts up. He avoids bending to far forward. That would lead to another lower-back injury.
Squats built the entire upper-thigh and the glute-thigh tie-ins. Tim does five sets of 15 reps.
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