Mr. Natural: Jewish man wins bodybuilding title

Schlossman was born in New York and moved to Kansas City in 1992 to go to chiropractic school. He graduated in 1995, worked in Miami for two years, and then moved back here. In 2000, he partnered with Rob Kingsbury, "Coach K" from 810 WHB sports radio, to open up a personal training/chiropractic studio.

His interest in the field goes back to age 15.

"I was chunky in high school and wanted to play football," Schlossman said. "I started working out with some of the football players and got really into it. I went to college, and got a little more into the bodybuilding aspect of it, where I started combining that with my diet - not just working out with weights and eating whatever I wanted. I was trying to get my body to look good, not just bigger and stronger."

He then went to chiropractic school, where he learned more about nutrition and applied that knowledge to his physical conditioning. This interest led him into competition. His first was in 1996. He won in the middleweight division and became "Mr. Kansas Power Shaq."

"It was a fluke, but once you win, it gets you excited about doing it again," Schlossman said. "So I did it again in 1997, and I won again," he said. "In 1998, it was a much bigger show in Springfield, Mo., and I got second."

His bodybuilding career then took a short hiatus, as he got busy with work and the opening of his studio.

Keeping it clean

Then seven months ago, four years after his last competition, Schlossman, at the urging of his wife, began preparing for another compeition.

Over a 16-week period before a show, Schlossman's weight drops greatly. He usually weighs 185-205 lbs., but he likes to compete at 155-160 lbs.

On Sept. 27, he participated in the World Natural Bodybuilding Federation's Natural Gold's Classic for the Midwest region (pictured above), where he won overall, not just in his weight class.

This is a competition for people who decline to use performance-enhancing steroids.

"This bodybuilding competition is all natural," Schlossman said. "The other ones ... they will have random testing on 1 or 2 percent of the contestants. They really, really test in the WNBF, with lie detector and urinalysis tests to try to keep it as natural as they can. This one tests 100 percent. Winning this show gives you a pro card into the natural bodybuilding. The competition isn't as - I don't want to say it's not as hard - it's just that it is all natural. ... The money is not there. It's not the same amount of money, and it's more fun for me. I have my practice and my gym, so it is something I do for fun."

His next competition will be in March, meaning that he will start training Dec. 1.

Even though he admitted to having dabbled with steroid use in the past, Schlossman said he doesn't recommend their use today.

"I think it has gotten way overboard with it in the professional ranks," he said. "If not under a doctor's supervision, they are harmful. ... I don't think they need to be done if you work out naturally, eat enough protein and get the right food in your diet."

Results Gym

Results Gym, at 127th and Metcalf, is a combined chiropractic office and personal training studio. Their chiropractor is Tony Soriente, and their personal trainers are Laurie Soriente, Kathy Boucher, Barbie Murphy, Brian Shaver and Terri Koehler, along with Schlossman, who does more personal training.

Each of the trainers have a four-year degree, either in exercise science or sports nutrition. The studio features about $100,000 worth of equipment, including some machines that can be used for physical therapy, plus showers.

"We get 14- to 86-year-olds," Schlossman said of his clientele. They include "pro athletes, ex-pro athletes, housewives, businessmen, doctors. People will come from two to five times a week."