Search - Mark Dugdale: Driven on DVD

A Candid Look Inside the Life of a Pro Bodybuilder

S William Shaw | The Nether | 03/27/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you're looking for a great inside look at professional bodybuilding, Mark Dugdale: Driven will satisfy your need. The DVD takes you through several of Mark's workouts, and delves into Mark's diet. The DVD also features some great insights, in particular, the strain bodybuilding (at this level) can have upon a family. At the end of the DVD, we witness Mark competing at the Iron Man.

I would strongly suggest that you ignore the criticism of Mark's Christian faith. Mark Dugdale is not preachy, and this DVD in no way comes off as a Christian Bible thumping session. I appreciate Mark's devotion to his wife and family, and his faith.

Saying that this is a Christian DVD is just simply wrong. It is a candid look inside the life of a pro bodybuilder. I enjoyed it greatly."

Outstanding Insider's Look at the Bodybuilding Lifestyle

Michael D. Mallinger | Woodbridge, VA USA | 07/12/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Driven" is a documentary featuring professional bodybuilder Mark Dugdale's training and preparation for the 2006 Ironman Pro, a bodybuilding contest sponsored by "Ironman" magazine. The film is intended to offer an insider's look at training techniques, dietary practices, discipline, focus, and determination necessary to compete in bodybuilding at the professional level. However, "Driven" goes much further, shedding important light upon the inner motivation that inspires many individuals to adopt the bodybuilding lifestyle. It effectively demonstrates how the benefits of lifting weights extend beyond the realm of physical health and appearance, enabling participants to build the skills and patience necessary to achieve more in other areas of their lives. Throughout the film, Dugdale alludes to insights he's obtained that enable him to build better relationships with other people, yielding a wonderful family life and career as a small business owner. His ability to effectively convey these insights to his audience makes the film worth its weight in gold.

The fundamental principle, and challenge, of bodybuilding can be summed up in three words: small incremental gains. Setting aside the time necessary to improve one's physique in such a manner, and taking the actions necessary to do so, are no small feat. Developing the commitment that makes bodybuilding a central pillar of one's daily activities is what transforms it from a mere hobby into an alternative lifestyle. However, that lifestyle involves much more than simply building the best possible physique. Like any other sport, it encompasses a variety of activities that are essential to "playing the game the way it was meant to be played." Helping beginners to do the right things, encouraging others to find the best within themselves, and marketing bodybuilding's benefits to the uninitiated masses are key parts of what makes the lifestyle so rewarding. With many years of bodybuilding experience under his belt, Dugdale does an excellent job of incorporating these principles into his every activity, strengthening the film's value throughout.

"Driven" focuses on three different aspects of the bodybuilding lifestyle including developing the best possible approach to training, achieving balance in one's life, and remaining grounded in reality in being part of the real world. Dugdale's approach to training challenges preconceived notions that many individuals have regarding how professional athletes train. Instead of spending most of his waking hours in an exclusive, multi-million dollar gym designed specifically for professional athletes that is staffed with the best trainers, nutritionists, and physical therapists that money can buy - like college football stars preparing to turn pro - he trains four times per week at his neighborhood gym with two of his close friends, limiting each session to an hour. Due to his business and family commitments, he emphasizes intensity over training volume, reflecting the real-world conditions that most bodybuilders face. In preparing all of his own meals, he keeps things simple and balanced, which is key to looking great throughout the year instead of limiting himself to brief periods for contests and photo shoots. When choosing training partners, he looks for respect, motivation, focus, and intensity, as well as common interests outside of the gym. All in all, rather than serving as a laboratory specimen developed via a multi-million dollar budget, Dugdale shows what real people can accomplish when they approach bodybuilding the right way.

In the film, his balance in life comes primarily through his supportive and caring family. Much of "Driven" is devoted to the active interest he takes in his wife and three young daughters' lives every day. Witnessing the Dugdales spend quality time as a family in spite of Mark's commitments is, in the long run, the film's most inspiring feature. Importantly, the family also encourages good eating habits among its children, addressing what will become a major public health challenge among Americans this century. In return, Dugdale's wife and children provide positive encouragement and reinforcement, helping to fuel Mark's drive. This extremely powerful aspect of the film demonstrates what many young people, particularly young men, should aspire to achieve in their own lives. Dugdale has obtained them at a relatively young age. Many other bodybuilders, whether professional or not, will come to find that when all is said and done at the end of the day, they will desire the same.

Finally, Dugdale remains grounded in reality, demonstrating the bodybuilding lifestyle's best attributes through and through. He and his training partners display proper gym etiquette both in obvious ways like taking the time to rerack weights when finished with an apparatus, and subtle ways like remembering to chew gum when training chest. Dugdale is frequently seen encouraging his partners as he spots for them. Even more importantly, he is willing to interact with other gym members, altering his routines when necessary to accommodate others who want to use particular equipment. In an era when basic gym etiquette appears to be a lost art, he and his partners are an absolute breath of fresh air. Many can learn by following their lead.

In sum, "Driven" offers much more than an insider's look at the world of a professional bodybuilder. It makes the bodybuilding lifestyle's greatest benefits accessible to anyone who wants to learn about them. Individuals with little or no experience lifting weights who observe Dugdale's real-world approach can learn a great deal about why their friends or colleagues who do so are so passionate about it. More importantly, young people can learn more about proper goals and priorities in life through understanding what Dugdale has achieved and why. An excellent, well thought-out film, "Driven" will educate scores of bodybuilders for years to come."