by Christian Duque
Most competitors can barely put one foot in front of the other during their preps. And during Peak Week, they all but disappear. Who can work when you’re training to the max, on a calorically-restricted diet, and still expected to put in 40hrs a week? Well, what If I told you, that’d be a cakewalk, for some? The truth is, most people couldn’t lead Marc Lobliner’s life on max carbs and even without training. Most people lack the energy and the wherewithal to run a single company, let alone half-a-dozen!! The fact is Marc Lobliner is old school. He’s a family man, a coach, and an influencer. On top of that, he’s a husband and a father. He’s also the visionary and driving force behind companies like Tiger Fitness, The Ambrosia Collective, MTS Nutrition and The Outright Bar. He’s also a 50/50 partner in O15 Nutrition – his partner is 2019 Mr. Olympia Brandon Curry. A Mr. O can work with anyone they want – so of course, The Curry’s went with Marc!!
So how does he do it? How does Marc “The Machine” Lobliner put 100% into multiple companies, while still putting together a physique that just won 1st in Masters and 2nd Overall at a stacked lineup at an NPC contest in Tennessee. Whereas most can barely function during hell week, Lobliner doesn’t miss a beat. Not only does he set a great example for fitness enthusiasts, but he would make the quintessential IFBB Pro League Pro. This is the kind of ambassador pro bodybuilding could really use. Marc is living the American dream and you can too!!
If you’ve been following the fitness industry for a while, you know the name Marc Lobliner. His influence has only grown over the years, but the man you see today, isn’t the same guy as once upon a time.
It’s almost unavoidable to be as popular and respected as Lobliner is, without sparking the attention (or obsession) of trolls. He’s been heckled and harassed for as long as he’s been famous. That’s kind of the nature of the beast. The bigger you get in the industry, the more haters you start to accumulate. Most of these folks are faceless and nameless, but as adamant as you can get. Others abhor anonymity and crave the attention of the very people they aim to bring down. Anyone can preach ignoring them and being the bigger person, but you can only do that for so long. After all, we’re all only human. Everyone has a breaking point. And with that said, there’s certain lines that should never be crossed, but trolls know no limits. Many of the worst ones are known by how often they cross them. Over the course of time, Lobliner might as well have earned a Masters in Psychology because not only won’t he let haters get to him, he knows exactly how to turn their negativity into a plus. Sometimes he can go all the way. He can turn haters into fans, and sometimes, he can turn them into loyal customers, as well. Everyone I know, including Marc himself, have noted how he’s evolved and how happy he is, today.
Everything is interrelated. Just the other day, Marc was food shopping and made an interesting analysis about two boxes of Uncle Ben’s cream of wheat. What he said wasn’t really as important as the bigger picture. If you want to see it, visit his Instagram page; however, what he was really getting at, was making the concerted effort of choosing what he said, as Marc the person and Marc the business owner. Most people lack that mental acuity. It’s great to be a rebel and to be unabashedly uncensored, but is that good for business?
Also, when you’re trying to grow your audience and reach the maximum number of people, you have to pick your battles. Also, with the growing level of censorship on mainstream social media platforms, it simply doesn’t make sense to attract a ton of unwanted spotlight on yourself. Afterall, Lobliner has already experienced what being shadowbanned is like. There may not be any logical reason for it, but the more experienced we become with algorithms and AI, the less sense things start to make. The bottom line, however, is that if you want to be successful in today’s fitness industry, you have to be visible on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Tiktok. That’s right, while many in bodybuilding circles are now just discovering The Clock, Lobliner has been hard at work to make a substantial foothold there, as well. The early bird gets the worm.
Being successful is all about being willing to learn new ways to do things. You’d never think that someone on Marc’s level would ever give up any control of his prep. He’s the head of his home and runs numerous businesses, but when it comes to getting ready for the stage, he’s open to allowing others to help. He doesn’t have a coach, per se, but he has people who advise him. I don’t think Lobliner could ever subscribe to the common coach-client relationship. He has far too much knowledge and experience under his belt to follow any one person, blindly. That being said, I’m not throwing shade on the thousands who do just that, but it’s not for everyone.
Nonetheless, no one knows everything, and whoever closes themselves out to the outside world, is also at a large disadvantage. The fact Marc has a small group of people who he knows and trusts, shows us that he’s not an arrogant man – he’s simply a very self-confident one. His camp consists of solid people, who will never burn him, and who won’t try to steal the spotlight as Lobliner nationally qualifies, earns pro status, and then competes as a pro. Actually, I can make this statement with a certain degree of certainty, as Lobliner just won big in Tennessee, and no one tried to steal his thunder. Everything is moving along, according to plan.
This past week, I had the pleasure of doing an Instagram LIVE with Lobliner. Although we planned on doing only 15-20 minutes, we ended up talking for nearly 54 minutes. I could have easily spoken another hour to him. The fact is, if you’re a real bodybuilding fan, you could talk to Marc about anything, from legends of yesteryear, to the direction of the sport, and what he’d like to accomplish as a pro. That’s just it, one of the main reasons Marc has been as successful as he has, is because he’s not just passing by. The bodybuilding world is Lobliner’s home.
Unlike many other successful CEOs, Marc is a fan, as much as he’s a driving force. This is why he’s maintained strong friendships that have lasted the course of time, with fellow influencers and superstars. This is also why he’s perfectly at home at packed expos. Only guys like Rich Piana, Jay Cutler, and very, very few others can do the same. Even big social media stars can only go so long under the lights and talk to hundreds of people from morning to night. That kind of passion is rare. Most influencers last an hour, maybe two, looking at their phone almost every other minute. No one is that popular! They’re just looking at the time, hoping the meet & greets come to an end, so they can go back to their rooms and vegetate in bed.
Marc Lobliner will outwork most and when he believes in something, look out! He’ll make sure to make his vision a reality. Although he’s already a NABBA Pro, The Machine has his eyes set on earning the coveted IFBB Pro League pro card and ultimately, making his way to the 2012 Olympia Showdown stage. He’s already nationally-qualified and I have no doubt he will continue to make improvements, while coming in with even better condition at the 2021 NPC North American Championships in Pittsburgh, PA. He will go there with one thing – and one thing only – on his mind, earning that pro card!!! I have no doubt he’ll make all his dreams come true. And I also have no doubt he will have a direct hand in growing bodybuilding – the right way!
