Lou Ferrigno Talks about His Legacy

The 3rd Annual Ferrigno Legacy™ presented by Carr Cellular Fitness returns to Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa in Rancho Mirage, CA near Palm Springs on October 28-30th 2016. California’s newest and most prestigious IFBB Olympia and NPC national qualifier hosts 450+ athletes competing for trophies, cash prizes and fitness recognition along with more than 3,000 spectators. New this year is the addition of USA Powerlifting Southwest Regionals Competition on Sunday, October 30th.

We caught up with Lou Ferrigno during 'peak week' to talk about his life, his 'Ferrigno Legacy' competition, and of course, his passion - Bodybuilding.

Jaime Filer: You’ve already done so much to give back to the fitness industry; why did you chose to promote your own show as your next avenue?

Lou Ferrigno: When I used to go to the Arnold Classic, people would always say to me, “Why don’t you have your own contest?” One day, my son (who is 31) said we should have our own bodybuilding competition, and I said, “Great!” because I couldn’t think of anyone better than Lou Jr. and Chris Minnes to be the promoters. Then we just decided to actually hold the contest because I can’t promote a show with people I don’t trust. These guys are passionate about bodybuilding and fitness, so we decided to take it to the next level.

JF: How much has the show grown since 2014? What can we expect from the show that’s different than last year?

LF: Oh, it’s huge now! This year we’re hosting the USA Powerlifting championships, we’re introducing the Classic Physique division where they can pose like the classic Mr. Olympias, and we’re also having Frank Zane, Tom Platz, and other bodybuilding champions come down for “Coffee with Lou”, which is a live Q & A starting at 9am on the Saturday - which it’s free! The bodybuilding championships are Saturday night and Sunday.

We wanted USA powerlifting because next year, we’re going to add even more to the show. We’re going to have Strongman in 2017 because I’ve always been a fan of powerlifting, and we want to add more flavour to the show with both those elements. The resort has a casino, a big spa, a special menu for competitors; it’s just a beautiful vacation resort. This way, people can be entertained in so many ways. Next year, we’ll also have over 400 booths and 1800 athletes. We’re bringing in a bunch of people from the medical field, and different kinds of competitions; just make it into a huge expo in Palm Springs.

The show will also be live-streaming worldwide in high-definition for $2.99. We want people who can’t make it down to Rancho Mirange to still have access to the show. It views so beautifully, that you’ll feel like you’re on stage with the competitors. People out of the country can have a chance to watch it, and we want to people to watch from every part of the world.

JF: How involved are you with the process of planning and organizing the show?

LF: Well, I oversee everything while Chris and my son work out all the details. I do the heavy promotion, make sure we’re in touch with all the athletes who compete, and take care of the publicity. I make sure that everyone on stage is wearing a suit and tie because I don’t just want another backyard show on the West Coast.

JF: How do you fit the Ferrigno Legacy into your already incredibly busy life?

LF: This is my passion, so I make the time for promotion. When I travel out of the country, I basically do promotion for the show. I make time to help design the posters and flyers, and help execute as much as possible, because you know, my biggest passion in life is bodybuilding and fitness.

JF: What’s your favourite part about promoting the show?

LF: Meeting all the athletes and taking selfies with them. I want everyone to feel like they’re in great company, and everyone who competes to feel like a champion. I just want everyone to walk away having had a good time, and with a smile on their face. That connection I make with them is so powerful?

JF: Do you miss being on stage? Do you ever get the urge to make an epic comeback?

LF: I miss being on stage competing, of course! I mean, it’s in my blood. But I love getting on stage to open up the show, talking to the competitors, friends, and peers. It’ll be me and Lonnie Teper up there, and like I said, it’s all about that personal connection with the audience.

JF: What’s next for you after the Legacy? Anything in terms of movies, TV shows, ComiCon appearances?

LF: I’m going to make more films, have a bigger show next year, and in fact, try to franchise all over the world. We want to franchise the ‘Ferrigno Legacy’ all over the states, and maybe even one in Canada because I’d love to have one in Toronto.

In terms of entertainment, I have a TV series coming out called “The Con Man”, and then a great British filmed called “Instant Death” that will come out in January.

JF: The show is called Ferrigno Legacy, “Legacy” being the key word. What’s your definition of a life well lived? How do you want people to remember you?

LF: I want to be remembered by people and effect people from every walk of life. I want to be remembered as a bodybuilding champion, and someone who was passionate about fitness and taught people about how they could use their bodies. I want my legacy to cover everything from fitness, to bodybuilding, to your lifestyle. So I want people to remember me for giving back 110%.