Sagi Kalev
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| Sagi Kalev | |
 Mr. Kalev reclines in a pastoral scene
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| Born | July 30, 1971  Tel Aviv, Israel |
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| Occupation | Bodybuilder |
| Website sagikalev.com |
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Sagi Kalev ( born July 30, 1971 in Tel Aviv) is an Israeli fitness model, bodybuilding title-holder, and nutritionist who lives in Dallas, Texas. Kalev moved to the United States in 1993 to pursue his dreams in bodybuilding and modeling.
Sagi, who has done numerous photo shoots for Muscle & Fitness, Iron Man, Reps, Men's Workout and Hardcore Muscle magazines, is part owner of a downtown Dallas, Texas gym where he also does personal training and nutritional counseling.
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[edit] Career Biography
After a four-year tour of duty in the Israeli Army, which included participation in Desert Storm, Sagi resumed his weightlifting and bodybuilding interests, capturing two "Mr. Israel" titles in the process. He also began his college education, which culminated with a degree in physical education and a minor in nutrition from the University of Central Florida.He says in an interview.
In 1996, while living in California, Sagi started modeling after he was discovered at a local gym. He landed in the hands of American photographer Martin Ryter who put him on the cover of Men's Workout magazine and inside several other bodybuilding-fitness publications. He also made guest appearances on Baywatch and The Young and the Restless television series.
Sagi's modeling aspirations got another major boost the same year when Spencer Gifts, one of the largest retail gift store chains in the U.S., signed a four-year contract with him as their spokes model. In fact, Sagi's distinctive images are still marketed by Spencer Gifts in the form of greeting cards, gift bags and key chains.
His last bodybuilding competitions were local shows in 1998 and 1999 in Texas, where he won the middleweight class at the 1998 NPC Southwest USA Bodybuilding Championships and the light-heavyweight title at the '99 NPC Lone Star Bodybuilding Classic. Sagi decided to get back into physique modeling in the spring of 2003. Since that time, modeling offers have come in quickly, including a contract with Impact Nutrition and Lifewave as a representative and spokesperson for the companies. Sagi is now prominently featured in Impact and Lifewave advertisements, in Iron Man Magazine, and for the Red Dragon bodybuilding supplements. In addition he has appeared on four Muscle & Fitness covers in 2003-2004 as well as covers of Hardcore Muscle, Iron Man and Men's Workout.
When he's not working out, training clients, or traveling to and from photo shoots, Sagi enjoys basketball, soccer, ping pong, cycling, swimming, hiking, good food, good movies, and constructive partnerships and friendships. Because nutrition is a crucial part of his modeling success, cooking has become one of his special interests.
Staying focused on nutrition, diet, and training in the midst of photo sessions, work responsibilities and a personal life depends on self-evaluation and discipline, Sagi said. "My military background and my occasional training with professional bodybuilders keeps me focused, disciplined and motivated," he said. "It really bothers me when other people can't exercise discipline but still want to achieve great results from their training and diet. It takes a lot of hard work. When I finish a good workout and a hard day at the gym, I start thinking immediately about how to improve and get even better."
[edit] Training
Sagi usually trains four or five days a week. At a height of 5-9 and a weight of between 200 and 210 pounds, he's right in the middle of the weight range for traditional bodybuilders. Of his training philosophy, Sagi says "My goal is not to be the biggest, it's to be the best. So I take very short breaks when I train, usually 30 to 45 seconds"."
