Don Colson: Herculean - Anthony Ditillo (1975)

 

They're not twins. 

From the May 1975 issue of IronMan . . . 

The first time I met Don Colson was during this past summer when he came down to our Elizabeth YMCA for a workout with Steve, and also to aid Steve in the photo session for the IronMan articles which have recently been published. 

I believe he's referring to Steve Sepaniak . . . 

"Power and Bodybuilding with Steve Sepaniak" - IronMan, Nov '73

"Upper Body Specialization with Steve Sepaniak for Muscle Density" - Mar '74

"Steve Sepaniak, Mr. Eastern America" - May '79. 

 

I remember walking into our weight room and being immediately caught up in the evening's goings on. In the center of the room was Steve being photographed while performing overhead presses. 

To his right, in the back of the room, stood a tall, blonde, hulk of a man, too big to be true. He looked like the bulky Dave Draper of the 60's with Casey Viator's thigh development. His thighs were heavy and dense with muscular bulk and his arms looked 20" at least! To say I was most impressed is putting it mildly! To say I was shocked is more like it. 

After the photo session Steve introduced us and I was immediately impressed with Don's quite, unassuming manner. He spoke in soft well-modulated tones and was most interesting to speak to. We discussed his training methods, motivation, etc., quite thoroughly and made plans for a possible article for IronMan [not to be confused with IranMan] when I was through with Steve's. All this took place around the end of 1973. 

The photos included with this article are not expensive studio shots, so some of the quality and impressiveness of his physique is lost, but let me assure you, Don Colson is a very large, massively muscular man, with fine muscle density and great physical strength and he and Steve have been training on and off for the past few years on programs very similar in performance scope. 

The main difference between both men lies within personal muscular structures and basal metabolism rates. This is why Steve is more defined and shapely than "Big Don" and yet for all his size and power, Don is very muscular and well shaped at that! 

Not a bodybuilder to shun hard work, Don believes in heavy weights, forced reps, basic barbell movements coupled with a few dumbbell moves to break the monotony. 

He believes in training daily with the weights along with bike riding in the warmer months for internal health and vigor. You see, Don and Steve are both interested in all-over health and physical efficiency. This is the reason for the bike riding, and the all your round heavy training. 

Don't diet is an almost all protein one, with minimum fat and carbohydrate intake for internal health. Don must be ever watchful for his normal tendency is to become overly bulky, since this would mar his physique ambitions.

But you can be sure he doesn't go hungry. He relies heavily on steak, eggs, liquid predigested protein and cottage cheese, as well as heavy supplementation to insure maximum muscular growth and recuperation as well as adequate training energy. He feels as we all do -- that the money spent on supplements is spent wisely if we can train and gain as we want to. 

Most bodybuilders shun heavy leg and back work -- but not Don. 

He has full squatted, Olympic style, 415 x 12! By Olympic style I mean with a completely erect upper torso, bar held high on the traps, medium foot spacing with a complete leg biceps on calf full squat for each and every repetition. Believe me, when you squat this way, complete thigh development is guaranteed with minimal hip stimulation because in reality you are performing a front squat, only the bar is held in back of the neck instead of in front, across the clavicles. 

Sometimes Don will use 355 and perform 40-50 reps if he feels he needs a change of pace, however, he enjoys predominantly sets of 12-25 reps for the thighs and hopes someday to squat 500x12 in this ultra-strict style. 

Another cornerstone in his training is heavy bench and incline work. In the bench he is good for around 475 with a hip lift and on the incline he has used 280 for 10 reps. For working the chest he favors many sets of 6-8 reps and  fairly strict form: medium grip, no bouncing, with complete control of the bar in both the upward and downward movements. 

He also mentioned to me that while he has never felt the need for power rack work for his squat or bench, he could see how such an overload system of training could be beneficial and he intends to get into such assistance work in the possible near future. 

Don's arm development is quite impressive and even when completely relaxed, his arms are very large and thick with the muscle hypertrophy actually crowding the joints. Such size and development comes by many, many sets of 6-8 reps with very heavy weights and strict form, using basic movements. Additional dumbbell work is occasionally thrown in, for shaping and intensiveness of muscle pump, but mainly for growth. 

Don prefers barbell work.

As far as physique intentions, Don has no definite plans of entering competition and, like his training partner, Steve, he trains mainly for personal enjoyment and health. However, the praise and many letters which have come to me complimenting Steve Sepaniak [there it is!] have really meant a lot to both these wholesome young men [clean cut lads the lot], and who knows perhaps with enough persuasion these men will soon be on the posing platform, battling with other future greats and showing the bodybuilding world the results of their well thought out training philosophies and also proving once and for all: you can make it without resorting to tissue-building drugs. 

Okay then. 

Here's Don's present training routine: 

MONDAY/THURSDAY - Chest and Shoulders

Bench press, around 14 sets, working up to 455 and then back down.

Decline flyes, 5 x 5-7.

Weighted dips, 5 sets using 125 pounds, forcing all reps possible.

Incline press, 5 sets up to 280 x 8.

Seated press, 6 sets up to 260 x 6.

Dumbbell press, 4 x 8.

Side laterals, 4 x 8. 

Rear laterals, 4 x 8. 

TUESDAY - Back and Arms

Weighted chins, 5 x 8 using 50 pounds. 

Pulley rowing, 6 x 8.

One arm rows, 4 x 12 with 130 pounds.

Arm work (light)

Barbell curl, 7 x 8

Reverse curl, 4 x 8

Lying extensions, 7 x 8

Pushdowns, 5 x 8. 

WEDNESDAY - Leg Work

Full Olympic squats, 7 x 10-12.

Leg extension, 6 x 8-10

Leg curl, 5 x 8.

FRIDAY - Arm Work

As on Tuesday. 

Enjoy Your Lifting!